Manly coach Trent Barrett expects rival clubs to “pick the eyes out” of his team but has laughed off the suggestion that gun forward Martin Taupau is up for sale.
Taupau is signed to the Sea Eagles until the end of 2020 but reports suggest the New Zealand international’s time at the cash-strapped club could end prematurely to free-up salary cap space.
Manly was slapped with a $750,000 fine earlier this season for salary cap breaches totalling $1.5 million over the past five years.
But Barrett said he had joked with Taupau about speculation suggesting he was being put in the shop window, saying the club had enough wiggle room to keep the 28-year-old long-term.
“Contrary to a lot of media reports we’re under the cap, well under,” Barrett said.
“We have a laugh about it … we don’t have to move anyone and we won’t be moving Martin.
“When the cap stuff comes up other clubs are trying to pick the eyes out of your best players and obviously he’s one of them.”
The wrecking ball ran for 259m in last week’s loss to Sydney Roosters as the Sea Eagles fell to 2-7 for the season.
Manly will need more of that against Brisbane in what will be the second of two games at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday as part of the NRL’s Indigenous Round.
“He cleaned up a couple of errors he had in his game, through trying too hard at times,” Barrett said.
“He’s so big, finds himself in situations where he can offload but he picked his moments and did a really good job and we’re going to need that from him.”
Players from both teams are likely to wear metal studs in their boots on what is tipped to be a torn-up and slippery playing surface after Melbourne and the Gold Coast opening proceedings.