The Melbourne Storm are set do whatever they can to retain the services of off-contract duo Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes.
The pair of New South Wales products have been closely linked with moves away from Victoria amid reports suggesting the Storm are battling with little space in their salary cap.
Melbourne are understood to be nearing a finalised deal for star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, while gun hooker duo Harry Grant and Brandon Smith could be inked to new deals.
Finucane has already revealed his camp have held talks with a number of rival clubs, with the veteran lock "considering all options".
“I’ve had some conversations with some other clubs. I’ve spoke to a few people at other clubs. But as it is at the moment I haven’t had a term or monetary figure," Finucane told NRL.com earlier week.
“It is certainly a juggling act. What the club’s done for me and on the flip side of that, every club does have a salary cap.”
Hynes is likely to be one of the most in-demand names in the NRL this year after impressing in the absence of Papenhuyzen in the opening 10 rounds of the season.
The versatile speedster has previously stated his desires to land a full-time starting role, whether that be in Melbourne or elsewhere.
The pair are sure to gain more traction from rival clubs as the season progresses, but Storm football manager Frank Ponissi has stated the club will push to keep the star duo.
Speaking on Triple M, reporter Brent Read revealed Ponissi and the Storm remain in the loop to retain Hynes and Finucane.
“Frank Ponissi actually rang me yesterday and wanted to make a point of this,” Read said.
“He said: ‘We have not given up on those two guys, we desperately want to keep Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes’. The challenge with the two of them is different.
“With Dale it is about money and whether they can make an offer he deserves for the service he’s given that club and they are trying to their cap in the position where they can do that.
"For Nicho it is about opportunity. He wants to play first grade regularly and his path at Melbourne is blocked by Ryan Papenhuyzen.
"That is the two issues they are confronting but Frank wanted to make it very clear we have not given up the fight on these two guys, we desperately want to keep both. It is an immense challenge.”
The Dragons, Cowboys, Bulldogs and Tigers have been linked to Finucane' signature, while Hynes is one of several key targets for the Brisbane Broncos ahead of 2022.
