Trent Hodkinson is a chance to be available for Manly in time for Saturday night’s NRL clash with Melbourne after the well-travelled halfback was released by Cronulla.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan wished Hodkinson all the best in confirming the decision to terminate his contract on Monday, with the 29-year-old now set to move back to the opposite end of Sydney.
Earlier in the day, Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett talked optimistically about having Hodkinson available for selection this week given their well-publicised halves crisis.
He’s almost certain to get his wish after Hodkinson’s release by the Sharks, where he was on a one-year deal.
“It was part of an agreement we had with Trent, as we weren’t in a position to extend his contract beyond 2018, if he could find a multi-year offer somewhere else we wouldn’t stand in his way,” Flanagan said.
Hodkinson is set to play at five-eighth with captain Daly Cherry-Evans to remain at No.7.
Barrett will be hoping that Hodkinson will be able to train twice with the team this week before Saturday’s clash with the defending premiers.
The move would allow Dylan Walker to shift back to the centres, and prevent Barrett from being forced to call up exiled playmaker Jackson Hastings from reserve grade.
Hodkinson opted against heading to Manly amid the club’s salary-cap scandal earlier this year.
He instead moved from Newcastle to Cronulla, where he played four games but was stuck behind Matt Moylan for the No.6 jersey.
The move will alleviate some of the pressure on halfback Daly Cherry-Evans following the season-ending injury to five-eighth Lachlan Croker.
They will try to continue the momentum generated by their win over Brisbane on Saturday following five successive losses.
“He will give us another older player in the joint,” Barrett told Sky Sports Radio earlier on Monday.
“He’ll give us a steady head. He brings a really good kicking game and a level of calmness to the team.
“Cherry has done a terrific job in the past three weeks but it’s difficult when all the kicking and play-making duties are on one person.
“Cherry is a runner and has made a really good fist of it in the past few weeks – especially against Brisbane.”
Hodkinson started his NRL career at Manly in 2010 before moving to Canterbury, where he blossomed as a playmaker.
His form in 2014 led to his selection in the NSW State of Origin side and he scored the match-winning try in the deciding game for a rare Blues series win.