Manly keeps gun hooker

MANLY has shown it is ready to move on from its NRL salary cap scandal with in-form hooker Api Koroisau on the verge of re-signing with the club.

The 25-year-old has been widely tipped to break into the NSW State of Origin side this year and his impending contract extension is a massive shot in the arm for the club, which is at its lowest ebb.

“It’s a great club and hopefully I can spend the next few years here,” Koroisau said.

The Sea Eagles on Monday had $330,000 slashed from their salary cap for this year and next year as part of the NRL’s sanctions for systematic breaches. The club has also been fined $750,000, with $250,000 suspended, while chief operating officer Neil Bare and former chief executive Joe Kelly were deregis- tered for 12 months. The Sea Eagles are considering launching an appeal.

Koroisau said his deal was held up by the NRL’s investigation, as Manly waited to learn how much would be docked from the salary cap. But now that the probe was completed, he hoped it would be rubber stamped soon.

Koroisau has developed into one of the game’s premier No. 9s since joining the Sea Eagles as a bargain basement buy from Penrith at the start of 2016. With NSW incumbent rake Nathan Peats struggling to recover his form, Koroisau and St George Illawarra’s Cameron McInnes have their eyes on a place in Brad Fittler’s Blues squad.

Koroisau is among a handful of key Manly players offcontract this year along with Akuila Uate and Brian Kelly.

If there are fears among the team that the NRL’s punishment could affect their ability to secure an upgrade, they’re not letting it show.

“If I was worried about it, I would have brought it up with one of the managers,” Koroisau said.