Trent Merrin is expected to put pen to paper with a new club before the NRL season kicks off this week.

Merrin is close to signing with either Brisbane or Penrith for the 2016 season after telling St George Illawarra he wants to move on.

The 25-year-old has informed the Dragons he will not be at the club beyond 2015 and spent the weekend away with family and friends contemplating his next move.

Merrin’s manager Wayne Beavis said his client had not made a decision on his future and expected it to be cleared up before the Dragons begin their campaign against Melbourne on Monday week.

“We hope he’s ready to sign (this week),” Beavis said.

Asked if Merrin had made up his mind, Beavis said: “No. He’s the client and I’ll wait for him to make up his mind.”

Merrin came through the Dragons ranks before breaking into the NSW side in 2011.

Until recently the Panthers appeared in the box seat to sign Merrin however Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, who handed him his NRL debut at the Dragons, has made overtures to his former charge about luring him to Red Hill.

Manly are also hoping for a resolution to the contract uncertainties of Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran this week.

The club is facing losing their halves pairing for next year with Cherry-Evans being courted by the Gold Coast and Cronulla while Foran has a big money offer on the table with Parramatta.

Publicly the Sea Eagles are hopeful of retaining both, but behind closed doors are preparing contingency plans.

Roosters half James Maloney is off-contract at season’s end while Manly may look to return fire at the Titans by signing highly-rated rookie halfback Kane Elgey.

Cherry-Evans’ signature would be a shot in the arm for the Titans ahead of round one.

The club is on the ropes after being rocked by the cocaine scandal that led to the suspension of five players and it being kicked out of its training base at Southport School.

The suspensions of Dave Taylor, Greg Bird, Beau Falloon, Kalifa Faifai Loa and Jamie Dowling has also created uncertainty off the field with not even coach Neil Henry sure of the side he will trot out against the Wests Tigers at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday.

Ryan James appears set to play in the back row with Nate Myles at lock. But just who will partner them in the back row remains uncertain.

Luke Douglas and Matt White will likely start in the front row with Dave Hala and Mark Ioane jostling for bench spots.

Lachlan Burr, Eddy Pettybourne and Ryan Simpkins are also in the mix for forward roles.

Kierran Moseley and Matt Srama will share hooking duties however it’s not clear who will start.

While the club is the co-favourite for the wooden spoon, on the same line of betting with Canberra, outside back William Zillman said he did not expect the fans to desert them.

“They’ve really stuck behind us and we do ask them to turn out round one. We want to play some really good football for them this year,” he said.

“… We need to show true grit and come out the other side and play good football.”