Manly appear resigned to missing out on the signature of Cronulla backrower Paul Gallen, the NSW Origin star set to re-sign with the Sharks as early as Tuesday.
Gallen, currently nursing an ankle injury which will see him miss the opening round of the season, has been in negotiations with the Sea Eagles and the Sharks in the hope of having his future sorted out before the start of the NRL season.
His manager David Riolo said an announcement was imminent, an admission Manly chief executive Grant Mayer said didn't bode well for his club's chances of snaring the 25-year-old.
Mayer said the last time he had spoken to Riolo was last Wednesday.
"From what we've heard he's had a meeting with the Cronulla Leagues Club on Saturday," Mayer said.
"The fact that (an announcement is likely in) the next couple of days, the way it stands now the current club has the last say, so the fact there was a meeting on Saturday would tend to indicate to me Cronulla will keep him."
Riolo would not name which of the two clubs had won the race for Gallen's signature, preferring to keep his cards close to his chest.
"We'll have a decision Wednesday, maybe tomorrow," Riolo said.
"I've been talking to the clubs involved for quite a while ... and he wanted to know what he was doing before round one.
"It's really a race between two - we'll just see what happens there."
Another target for the Sea Eagles, who are still desperately searching for someone to fill the void left following Ben Kennedy's retirement last year, is North Queensland secondrower Luke O'Donnell.
O'Donnell's manager Wayne Beavis will meet with Cowboys boss Peter Parr next week.
"There's been no formal offer made yet," Parr said.
"Wayne and I have held off any discussions until we meet in person next week ... he'll have a formal proposal then."
Asked whether he thought an agreement could be reached as early as next week, Parr said: "I wouldn't have thought it'd be that early. It'll take a little while to sort out still."
Up to half a dozen clubs including the Cowboys are believed to be interested in securing O'Donnell's signature, though there are no firm offers yet to be tabled.
"He's 27 at the end of this year so it's an important contract for him," Beavis said.
"They've been very good about it, the Cowboys. They haven't been aggressive towards us so we're just going to do the right thing by them and I'm going to meet them later in the month."
Meanwhile, Newcastle officials have denied the club considered taking any action against skipper Andrew Johns for taking part in a charity touch football tournament on the Gold Coast.
His involvement came less than 24 hours after his being ruled out of the Knights trial match against Cronulla with a hamstring injury.
Football manager Steve Crowe said Johns had the club's blessing in making the trip.
"There were no problems at all from anyone at the club," Crowe said.
Johns is rated touch and go for the Knights round one encounter against the Bulldogs at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
Source: AAP