North Queensland Cowboys head coach Todd Payten has denied reports the club have put a contract offer to veteran prop Matthew Lodge.
A report in News Corp publications this week suggested Lodge had been offered a one-year extension by the Cowboys, but was holding out in hopes of landing a two-year deal either there or elsewhere.
The report suggested there was interest in Lodge both from other NRL clubs, and the English Super League, where it's understood multiple clubs have been keeping tabs on his situation in recent months.
But Payten, when quizzed at a press conference on Friday afternoon, said the club are yet to put an offer to Lodge, and are instead working on prioritising the signature of Kaiden Lahrs.
Lodge has made it clear to the club he wants to remain in Townsville.
"I did read that. I have been talking to Matt a little bit around what the future holds for us and him. There hasn't been an offer put towards him," Payten told reporters.
"The first priority is to lock away Kaiden Lahrs, and then see where our roster sits after that.
"I know he has some interest to go down south. He has expressed he wants to stay, but there are some other moving pieces before we nail down "Lodgey".
"What I will say is that he has come here, worked really hard and has had a positive impact on the playing group. He is a smart footballer.
"He has helped some guys around in his own position.
"We will see where we stand over the next two or three weeks. There has nothing been offered, and the dialogue will continue between us, Matt and his management."
Lodge has managed to find some form in Townsville, and while he has been out of the side in recent weeks, he has averaged 78 metres per game and tackled at over 92 per cent across his 12 appearances, with three of those in the starting team.
He has also managed 13 offloads and 21 tackle breaks.
At 31 years of age though, the prop who has previously played for the Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters and Manly Sea Eagles through a 145-game career is not the priority.
Kaiden Lahrs, the son of former Queensland representative Tom Leahroyd-Lahrs and just 20 years of age, has managed eight first-grade appearances since his debut last year, and is viewed as one of the best young forwards in the game.
The Canberra-born forward has impressed the Cowboys during his games, and the club are believed to be in the process of trying to lock him down on a long-term and upgraded contract.
Whether Lahrs will re-sign or not remains unclear, with other clubs likely having already pitched to him given he has been able to negotiate with rivals since November 1 and is off-contract at the end of this season.
