Kieran Foran may only be days away from receiving a formal offer from his former team after the departure of Addin Fonua-Blake left the Sea Eagles with money to spend, according toย The Australian.ย
Foran is off contract at the end of the year after hesitating to accept Canterburys deal to ensure his future at the club, leading them to pull their offer.
Their loss could be Manly's gain however as the New Zealand international may just be the trophy the club need following the departure of Fonua-Blake.
Fonua-Blake is expected to accept an offer tabled by the Warriors after Manly approved the Tongan star's wishes to explore options outside of Sydney.
The Warriors jumped on the opportunity and had the salary cap space to offer Fonua-Blake a three-year-deal that is believed to be upwards of $2.5 million.
The aggressive forward was on an expected salary cap of $840,000 at Manly in 2021 and it was to be slightly raised the following year.
While Manly's previous cap was tight, they now have the money available and are keen to use it.
With Foran off contract, expressing a preference to return to Manly and likely being available for less than the $1.2 million a year that he is earning at Canterbury, the veteran seems to be a viable option.
Kieran Foran headed back to Manly?
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— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) September 21, 2020
His return would also help alleviate pressure on Manly captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and provide an experienced voice for young five-eighth Josh Schuster to adhere to.
There is a belief within the club that Foran would not only create depth in the halves but also give Schuster a shoulder to lean on, following his first-grade debut with the Sea Eagles only a fortnight ago.
Foran would also be counted as an insurance policy in case injury was to strike Cherry-Evans, who has played every game for Manly this season.
Cade Cust was also considered as an insurance policy for Cherry-Evans but is likely to be moved to hooker in the off-season, with Manly already allowing their No.9 Danny Levi to head into the open market.
Foran left Manly in 2015 but has since experienced injury and personal issues at Parramatta, the Warriors and Canterbury, encountering setback after setback just when he was peaking into his best form.
Returning in Round 4 this year, he totalled 14 successive games and was one of the best performers for a Canterbury team struggling to grasp a win.
Foran scored four tries, 12 try assists and nine line break assists just before he suffered a pectoral injury. He later underwent surgery and is expected to be fit to resume pre-season training for 2021.
Foran's decision is likely to be finalised in the coming week, yet the likeliness of his return to Manly is looking high.
.@SeaEagles centre Brad Parker on Kieran Foran, 'I would love it if we could have more leadership & experience here. He's an amazing player & if he does come it'll be a bonus for us.'
.@FOXSportsNews— cody kaye (@Cody_KayeFOX) September 22, 2020
Kieran Foran is being strongly linked with a return to the Sea Eagles, but Manly have moved quickly to deny suggestions they will be given outside help to bring him back to the northern beaches | @Danny_Weidler https://t.co/Sf5upTRZ0H
— The Sydney Morning Herald (@smh) September 20, 2020
Would be a smart move but with AFB, Thompson and others leaving they need to invest smartly.
Iโd suggest also letting Dylan Walker leave and having even more money to spend. Plus swapping Ruben Garrick for Jason Saab.
Bring in Foran, Saab, Bayley Sironen, Isaiah Pappalii, Nathan Peats, Lachlan Burr and id also try Aaron Woods.
1. Tommy Tubro
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Morgan Harper
4. Moses Suli
5. Tevita Funa
6. Keiran Foran
7. Daly Cherry Evans
8. Aaron Woods
9. Mainse Fainu
10. Martin Taupau
11. Isiah Pappalii
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Tubro
14. Peats
15. Paseka
16. B. Sironen
17. Keppie
18. Parker, Saab, Miski
19. Cust, Schuster
20. Gosewski, Boyle, Sipley, Burr
Can do without seeing Woods, Burr and Peats in Manly selections…..Suli has to move into the middle now Fonua Blake is gone….Manlys’ biggest problem is lack of speed, Bayley Sironen, Jason Saab for Garrick and Keiran Foran will be a good start…need to keep Albert Hopoate and get more game time for Schuster
Schuster is now saying he wants a release if Foran signs, which cannot happen under any circumstance. Des is apparently after Foran to play hooker, but still, if there is any chance of losing Schuster it’s not worth the risk. It’s bad enough losing a contracted AFB.
Also, I’m hearing the Garrick-Saab swap has been torpedoed.
There’s a lot of work to do. To me, there’s holes in the roster even though there’s players in the squad that play those positions. They should be backups. We have a lot of fringe first graders. I’d be letting Walker and Taufua go to save cash. Don’t know if the long-term plan is for Ben Turbo to be a centre or edge backrower. I’d love to get Brandon Smith. More realistically, Bayley Sironen may be the right move on the cheap.
The team I’d keep is below, positions to be filled with asterisks —
1 Tom Turbo 2 Funa 3 Parker 4 Suli 5 *** 6 Schuster 7 DCE 13 Jake Turbo 12 *** 11 C.Sironen 10 Taupau 9 *** 8 Paseka 14 *** 15 Ben Turbo 16 *** 17 ***
Fainu to play 9 if clear.
Taufua, Garrick and Walker to go.
Harper, Hopoate, Olakuatu, Cust, Croker, Boyle, Gosieski, Sipley, Keppie all in the squad as reserves.