Manly have tabled flyer Reuben Garrick a bumper four-year deal which comes with a surprise positional switch.
The Sea Eagles will also flatly reject any bid for Garrick to be released early from his deal to join Newcastle next year.
The Sea Eagles have shown their intent in trying to make Garrick a key part of their long-term future as they try and starve off an approach from the Knights.
In doing so they will shift Garrick from wing to centre next season.
It is understood the Sea Eagles tabled the four year deal last week.
Manly boss Tony Mestrov confirmed Garrick was a priority re-signing.
“The club sees Reuben as a real leader,” Mestrov said. “We have a very good group of players that can vie for the top four year on year and we want him to be a leader in this group moving forward.
“He is a quality human being and a professional. From a cultural point he is also a very important player.”
Garrick has made it clear he wants to make a permanent shift away from the wing and play fullback. Newcastle will offer Garrick that chance which would lead to Kalyn Ponga moving to the halves.
While his opportunities to play fullback at Manly are limited to filling in for superstar Tom Trbojevic, the Sea Eagles plan on moving Garrick to the centres next season.
Garrick has only started one of his 91 top grade games at centre but will get first crack at the spot leaving the likes of Morgan Harper, Brad Parker and Tolutau Koula to battle it out for the other position.
He played 14 games at fullback this year in Trbojevic’s absence.
“We’ve offered him a strong four year deal which would match any offer the Knights give him,” Mestrov said. “He wants to play fullback and obviously with Tom at Manly he can’t do that.
“However our offer is with the intention of playing Garrick at centre. He will play in the centres. He played all his junior representative football at centre. He is also an amazing goal-kicker which adds to the need to keep him.”
When asked if the club would entertain a release Mestrov simply said: “We won’t be releasing him”.
The Sea Eagles are keen on securing Garrick before the November 1 free agency period opens on Tuesday.
Trbojevic is recovering well from a season-ending shoulder injury and will certainly be fit and ready for round one next season.
