Sea Eagles to offer Reuben Garrick long-term deal and positional switch

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have reacted to the Newcastle Knights' immediate interest in winger Reuben Garrick, offering the outside back a mammoth new deal.

Garrick, who debuted for the Sea Eagles in 2019, spent nearly the entirety of 2022 deputising for superstar Tom Trbojevic, who missed the majority of Manly's campaign with a shoulder injury.

After filling in superbly for the Sea Eagles, Newcastle took note, and offered Garrick the promise of playing fullback for the club if he made the switch immediately, a plan to push Kalyn Ponga into the halves.

However, Manly have responded to the Knights' interest according to The Daily Telegraph, with the Sea Eagles tabling a four-year deal to the point-scoring flyer.

The deal also comes with a positional switch of its own, the club promising to move Garrick into the centres to allow the Dragons junior to get his hands on the ball more.

Garrick and his management had made it clear that the 25-year-old had no interest in remaining on the wing, a message heard loud and clear by Manly CEO Tony Mestrov.

“The club sees Reuben as a real leader,” Mestrov told The Daily Telegraph.

“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.”

During his 91 NRL game career, Garrick has only ran out in the centres once - a 15-12 loss to Penrith midway through their 2019 campaign.

Mestrov denied that the club would entertain releasing Garrick early, instead doubling down on the speedster's impending move to the three-quarter line.

“We've offered him a strong four year deal which would match any offer the Knights give him,” Mestrov told The Daily Telegraph.

“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.”

The club is hopeful Garrick will put pen to paper in the next five days, before rival clubs can start tabling offers to Reuben at 'fullback money'.

Regardless of his next contract, Garrick will remain on the Northern Beaches in 2023, likely donning the No.3 or No.4 jersey next season.