Manly have a battle on their hands to retain superstar back-rower Glenn Stewart as the club moves to review its salary cap position in coming weeks.
An integral part of Manly’s success during the past decade, along with his brother Brett, Stewart is off contract at season’s end and has been linked to a big-money move to Canberra.
Sea Eagles general manager David Perry will lead a review of the club’s playing roster in the lead-up to the 2014 season, but Manly appear increasingly resigned to losing Stewart.
“At this stage, we need to review all of our options,” Perry told AAP. “We would love to keep every player at the club. Clearly, the Stewart brothers have been an integral part of our success and we would love to keep them here for the rest of their careers.
“But we have a cap we have to manage and we are going to review that in the next few weeks and determine an outcome and be as transparent as we can when that happens.
“It would be ideal to have both of them to finish up at Manly, but unfortunately with salary cap pressure and the reality of maintaining and managing that appropriately, you need to review all of that.”
Brett, 28, and Glenn, 30, are entering their 11th seasons at Brookvale and could conceivably fall under long-term dispensation in the salary cap.
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg has flagged a comprehensive review of the salary cap and long-time auditor Ian Schubert has stepped down in a sign there will be sweeping change.
Sydney Roosters skipper Anthony Minichiello has been vocal in his support of greater allowances for one-club players.
But whether any of that will keep Glenn Stewart at Brookvale remains to be seen.
“We just wanted to get through the off-season and review our salary cap position and our recruitment strategy, which we are doing in the next couple of weeks,” Perry said.
“In that, no doubt we will discuss all players and who is on and off contract.
“We will resolve that in due course.”
I'mastormtrooper2
Guest
Salary cap, causing issues again ... Many clubs cross the line ... Glenn playing under Bellamy perhaps ??? Perhaps not !!!
eagleJack
Guest
Watmough played injured all last year. I think Manly will cope.
Mick
Roar Rookie
If Watmough gets injured, Manly are Gooooone...
manlyman101
Guest
Chui, Most clubs are musical chairs clubs with no loyalty from players and the clubs themselves. Manly is different, unique, players take pay cuts to stay together. We have lost so much talent over the yrs, hoppa, trex, orford, Perry, kite, hodgkinson etc. Manly have managed like Melbourne to keep the core of the team by unloading these players and replacing them with nobodys and reserve graders ie horo and Lawrence and Hiku. And turn them into regular 1st graders. There price goes up they have to leave and the process starts again. Manly in 2014 g.Stewarrrrrt is going nowhere he is manly through and through.
ferret
Guest
Yep, Whatmough was outstanding last year. The rest of Manly's pack made big contributions but I wonder without Whatmough's leading example if they would have put in as much. Will be interesting to see if he can re-capture / maintain that form this year.
The eye
Guest
Nice buy for the Raiders,but if after THE top liner Ricky should dig into his pockets deeper and go all out for Watmough.
ferret
Guest
Wouldn't be surprised to see Manly try hard, but not too hard, to keep G Stewart. They have an ageing pack (very good but many are over 30). They need to buy a top young backrower, or if they develop their own, will probably off-load G Stewart to free up some salary cap and keep the youngster.
Chui
Guest
About time we saw an article about Manly losing a key player. Now that Lyon, Foran, Cherry-Evans, Brett Stewart, Matai and just about every other player have left..... Oh hang on. None of them went, did they.