Bronson Xerri's name has lived in the headlines in recent days following his axing and apparent release request from the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Dropped from Canterbury's 22-man squad for their Round 3 clash with the Canberra Raiders, the star centre has had everything from being unhappy with a switch of sides, to unhappy with a demotion to the NSW Cup levelled against him.
The Bulldogs, through ever-talkative director of football Phil Gould, have claimed Xerri hasn't asked for a release, but where there is smoke, there is generally fire.
It's understood plenty of clubs have already made inquiries with his management. It's not every day that a centre of his calibre comes up as a potential to leave their current club, if not immediately, then certainly at the end of the season.
Of course, his contract running to the end of 2027 with the Belmore-based outfit means there is no guarantee he is available at the end of this season.
With that in mind, we have looked at the most likely landing spots for Xerri, with some being more immediate than others.
7. Manly Sea Eagles
The Manly Sea Eagles are one of the clubs that have already reportedly shown interest in Xerri, and with pretty good reason, truth be told.
Anthony Seibold needs to be looking at shaking up his squad - there are real issues on the Northern Beaches, and if they weren't clear last year, then they certainly are after the first two rounds of the new campaign with a virtually unchanged side.
Centre may not be the chief problem, and with Tolutau Koula re-signing, even more of those problems have been alleviated, but the bottom line is this:
Koula likely sees himself as a fullback, and Reuben Garrick is heading to the Sydney Roosters at the end of the 2026 campaign.
That means there will be one, or, pending the fitness, contract and form of not only Tom Trbojevic, but also Lehi Hopoate, two centre spots available.
Money isn't going to be a huge concern for Manly, and they should be making a play for Xerri alongside a whole host of other players.
