Manly Sea Eagles eye Siosaia Vave, Willie Mason to bolster a Choc-less pack
Manly have expressed interest in signing Cronulla's Siosaia Vave to bolster a pack that will be without Anthony Watmough next season.
The Sea Eagles are looking for more grunt up front and have identified Vave and Willie Mason as men capable of providing it. Vave is a Tongan international who has played 55 NRL games during his time at Melbourne and two stints with the Sharks.
The 2013 grand finalists believe they can get the best out of the Mt Druitt Tigers junior, who stands an imposing 188 centimetres and weighs 115 kilograms.
Mason is another figure identified as being a solid contributor at Brookvale. The former NSW and Australian forward is hoping for one last contract after Newcastle coach Rick Stone deemed him surplus to requirements.
Mason will be 35 years old in April, making him one of the oldest players in the NRL. However, the Clive Churchill medal winner has shown during his three-year Knights stint he is more than capable of matching it with his younger opponents.
Several clubs have expressed interest in Mason, who has indicated he wants to finish his career with a Sydney-based outfit capable of being genuine challengers for a title. The Sea Eagles fit those requirements and are the club most likely to earn his signature
It's not the first time Manly have attempted to recruit Mason. They made a late bid to lure Mason to the northern beaches after his departure from Canterbury in 2007.
Instead, he signed with the Roosters before embarking on stints with North Queensland, Hull KR and Newcastle.
He remains a marketable figure in his twilight years, amusing onlookers by sledging opposing St George Illawarra forwards for their performance in their most recent meeting.
The Sea Eagles will have some wiggle room in their salary cap for next year because of the departure of established stars.
Jason King has retired and Glenn Stewart will transfer to South Sydney, while back-up forward Daniel Harrison will continue his career at English club London Broncos.
But the most significant development will be the departure of long-serving forward Watmough to Parramatta. Fairfax Media revealed last month that the NSW and Australian representative had agreed to a three-year deal with the Eels, despite still being contracted to Manly for 2015.
The 31-year-old has asked for an immediate release and it's expected it will be granted, potentially as soon as next week.
The last sticking point is how much of the final year of his contract, worth about $975,000, the Sea Eagles will pay out.
Watmough's management he is owed $350,000 in arrears payments, although the club is prepared to settle the matter for $300,000. If the Eels can make up the shortfall he will wear blue and gold next season.
The move will also free up salary cap space to bolster Manly's forward pack and work towards re-signing halves Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans.
After struggling for experience up front – Richie Fa'aoso sat out the entire year with a neck injury – officials are searching for front rowers.
They have already secured the services of Zane Tetevano on a one-year deal. It remains to be seen if the NRL will register the former Newcastle forward after he was accused of assault.
There are several court matters that will be heard and the governing body is likely to monitor the outcomes before giving him a clearance to resume his 29-game first-grade career.
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