BEN Kennedy will hold talks with Manly chief executive Pat Wilson and coach Des Hasler today amid speculation he will announce he is retiring at the end of the season.
Kennedy's manager, Mike Newton, spoke to club officials yesterday morning, informing them the Sea Eagles captain wanted to discuss his future.
Kennedy has a one-year option on his existing contract but has hinted he may retire to concentrate on a career post-football.
Newton last night said he was unaware of Kennedy's plans beyond this season.
However, a meeting will take place today between the former NSW and Australian forward and key Manly officials.
"We told Manly Ben would make a decision in the first five or six rounds of the competition," Newton said.
"Obviously it's a big decision for him. He's taken a bit longer than expected. With such an important decision, it's understandable."
Kennedy, 32, is in his second season with Manly and shows no signs of dropping form, sitting in second place in the Dally M Medal behind North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston.
His decision is likely to have a domino effect on the Sea Eagles squad, with stalwart Steve Menzies and young five-eighth Travis Burns among those off contract.
The club has also been heavily linked to St Helens centre Jamie Lyon, who is keen to return to the NRL in 2007.
Kennedy could also inform Manly officials today he plans to make himself available for the Anzac Test against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium, a move that would allow him to exit international football alongside long-time team-mate Andrew Johns and former Canberra team-mate Ricky Stuart, the Test coach.
Before that can happen, however, Kennedy would need to reverse his earlier decision to seek exemption from representative games.
"At the moment he's not going to be considered unless he contacts us," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said.
"We haven't heard from him. I know the coach and him have got a long relationship and whether they've talked or not I can't comment on."
North Queensland could be running roughshod over other teams for many years to come after Carl Webb became the latest Cowboy to pledge his allegiance to the club.
The damaging 25-year-old Queensland forward yesterday re-signed with the outright competition leader until the end of 2008.
Webb joins injured winger Ty Williams in shoring up his future with the Townsville-based club before the game's anti-tampering deadlines expire on June 30.
The Cowboys, who are four points clear of the pack on the NRL ladder, now have to only re-sign Matt Sing, Paul Bowman and Josh Hannay this year to keep their first grade squad intact for 2007 with the exception of captain Travis Norton.
Even more important is the fact the club is poised to begin talks with Dally medallist and the game's in-form player, Thurston, despite the half not being off contract until the end of next season.
"It's always a balancing act but our goal is to try and keep the squad together as long as we can and we'll continue to pursue that over the coming weeks," Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said.
"Obviously it's becoming harder and harder because they're not on the same money they were when they first got here, or they were when some of these younger blokes first got out of school.
"But I think the fact over the last couple of years we've proven what a consistent footy team we are that, while money is a huge factor in any decision they make, most players simply like to play with other good players and a team they think can play finals football."
Webb has been touted as a possible bolter for the Kangaroos in next month's Anzac Test against New Zealand - his natural aggression would be a welcome asset against the Kiwis - but he said an Australian jumper might be too early for him.
"Personally, no I don't think so," Webb said when asked if he had done enough to be selected for the Test.
