mcatt link said:
What about the extra $300,000 for next years cap increase? Surely our chances of retaining Hodkinson and Matai have increased with this news.
Manly to fight for Steve Matai, Trent Hodkinson
  * Dean Ritchie
  * From: The Daily Telegraph
  * May 31, 2010
THEY are being offered big money elsewhere but Manly are poised to retain New Zealand Test centre Steve Matai and rising halfback Trent Hodkinson, The Daily Telegraph understands.
The Sea Eagles believe the NRL's impending $300,000 increase in the salary cap will allow them to re-sign both players.
Canterbury are ready to officially lodge a three-year deal worth about $270,000 a season for Hodkinson - remarkable money for a player who has played just 10 NRL games. The Bulldogs see Hodkinson as the long-term replacement for veteran Brett Kimmorley.
It is unclear whether Canterbury will retain Kimmorley if they secure Hodkinson, who represented City this year in the annual match against Country.
Hodkinson was tipped to leave Manly but one club source said: "We will keep both players once the extra money is allowed under the salary cap."
Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe yesterday rejected talk his club would attempt to bring Matt Orford back to Brookvale. Orford left Manly last season for English club Bradford but is homesick and seeking a return to Australia.
Matai is also off-contract at the end of this season with his manager Gavin Orr saying the Kiwi star was likely to quit Brookvale.
But Lowe said the club would have to look carefully at whether it could afford Hodkinson. "I'd like to say with a degree of confidence we will keep him," Lowe said. "But realistically, we're not in a position to get into a bidding war with anyone.
"We will look at it as carefully as we can but he could be a victim of the salary cap."
Asked was he upset at possibly losing Hodkinson, Lowe said: "That is the way the game is at the moment."
Manly coach Des Hasler is a big Hodkinson fan and is fully focused on retaining the young halfback.
The Sea Eagles will have some room to move in their salary cap when Test prop Josh Perry joins St Helens, as is expected.
But Manly will keep New Zealand five-eighth Kieran Foran. He has agreed to terms but is yet to sign the contract. That is expected to be done sometime this week.
It would be tragic for Manly fans if the Foran-Hodkinson halves combination was ripped apart.
Manly officials see the pair as being their club's leaders for the next decade.
Manly centre Jamie Lyon will have scans today on an injured ankle. He could miss up to three matches including State of Origin II.