Manly NRL second-rower Anthony Watmough wants the Sea Eagles to throw every dollar they can into retaining off-contract star Tony Williams.

Test forward Williams, who is unable to return to the field until round 11 as he serves a seven-week suspension, is in the sights of Parramatta, Canterbury and Cronulla, with the Sea Eagles battling extreme salary cap pressure in their bid to re-sign the Australian representative.

Despite being boosted by halfback Daly Cherry-Evans inking a new deal last week, the Sea Eagles still need to sort out the immediate futures of Williams, fullback Brett Stewart, centre Steve Matai, five-eighth Kieran Foran and young prop Darcy Lussick.

But Watmough is adamant his 118kg back-row partner should be at the top of their retention list.

“(Throw) everything left,” Watmough said on Wednesday.

“I have said it before – no one wants to leave.

“It is just a matter of whether the club can get close (to rival offers).

“Ask anyone – no one wants to leave. It’s a great place to be but it’s a business at the end of the day.

“If the money’s not there and he can look after himself, then so be it. No one will hold that against him.”

Manly sorely missed Williams’ aggressive running out wide in last round’s loss to St George Illawarra, only enhancing his price tag.

“(He is) a devastating player like him, removed from your side, makes your team a lot less potent,” coach Geoff Toovey explained.

“He is a quality impact player. (He’s) the difference between winning and losing a game, scoring a try and not scoring a try.

“So there is plenty of demand of him. We’re obviously doing our best to keep him.”

Toovey admits he is frustrated by the ongoing saga surrounding the retention of his premiership-winning squad.

“(Negotiations) are dragging on a bit. That’s the problem when you have so many players coming off contract at the one time,” Toovey said.

“But we’re working our way through it and we’re pretty confident in retaining the majority of players.”

Toovey said the Sea Eagles, who are on a two-game losing skid, expect Parramatta to be “inspired” by the negative press that has haunted them following a miserable winless start to the season.

“We’re used to it at Manly – people putting the slipper in. I think it inspires teams,” Toovey said.

“I think it gives them a reason to even pull that extra 10 per cent out.

“That’s what I’ll be expecting from the Parramatta team and a Stephen Kearney-coached team.

“They will be professional about it. I am sure they will put 110 per cent in.”