By Dan Walsh and Christian Nicolussi
Matt Lodge will end up playing for Manly after all in 2025 after initially baulking at the club’s extension offer. He’ll work on a construction site and combine his fledgling boxing career with a second-tier NRL deal.
While Clint Gutherson hit the ground running during St George Illawarra’s scrimmage with the Sea Eagles, Lodge’s return to Manly was announced a few hours later.
Lodge, 29, has been on a market bereft of front-rowers since rejecting a two-year extension at Manly late last year worth around $150,000 a season.
He finished 2024 in impressive fashion after battling back from an ACL rupture and torn biceps. He held discussions with South Sydney and the Dragons over the summer.
Lodge’s second-tier deal with Manly includes permission for him to step into the ring and will have him initially balancing his Sea Eagles training with construction work.
He will begin the year in reserve grade and be given the chance to earn a top 30 spot, just as he did when he arrived at the club in 2023 on a $1200-a-week train and trial deal.
Matt Lodge is back at Manly.Credit: Getty Images
Lodge’s second professional fight is scheduled for March 2, a week prior to the start of Manly’s NRL and NSW Cup campaigns.
“It wasn’t a case of me wanting to leave this club but the offer elsewhere at the time which I thought I was leaving for, was too good to refuse,” Lodge said.
“I don’t need to go into all the details, but it is what it is and everything always works out in the end.
“Although I need to pay the bills, it’s not all about money … I’ll continue to work three days a week on a building site where I’ve been for the past six months, and I’ll also be preparing for my second pro fight in early March.”
Dragons co-captain Clint Gutherson was impressive during a scrimmage game against Manly.Credit: St George Illawarra Dragons
Meanwhile, Gutherson was at his vocal best as the Dragons new-look spine comprising he, Damien Cook, Lachie Ilias and Kyle Flanagan enjoyed some vital game time together on Friday.
For a third straight pre-season, Manly and the Dragons clashed in a practice game, which was played at a 90 per cent intensity.
Just as Gutherson led the way to the top of Mt Keira in December after arriving from Parramatta, the fullback was at it again against the Sea Eagles.
He barked orders, threw a floating pass for a try, and made sure the intensity levels never dropped.
“We knew what we were getting with him, and he was outstanding today,” Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.
“Just his communication, his ability to get our defensive line organised – and get the right numbers right – and just the way he competes, that’s Gutho.
“And he’s rubbing off on other people. We’re lucky to have him.
“‘Cooky’, Kyle and ‘Gutho’ are getting better. Lachie didn’t train through November and December, and only came back mid-January, with each day he will get better.”
Ilias and Cook, who were both at Souths last year, and Gutherson and Flanagan will play around 20 minutes next weekend in the first official trial against the Sydney Roosters. They will play around half a game the following week in the Charity Shield against the Rabbitohs.
Tyrell Sloan is expected back from injury in coming weeks.Credit: Getty
Valentine Holmes looked sharp at left centre, while a slimmed-down Moses Suli was a handful at right centre.
Tyrell Sloan (foot) did not feature, but is expected back for the Charity Shield, said Flanagan. Hooker Jacob Liddle also missed the scrimmage after spending the past couple of days having an infection in his hand treated in hospital.
Sea Eagles’ stars Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans and Haumole Olakau’atu played big minutes, but there were just as many players out with niggling injuries.
Coach Anthony Seibold confirmed Tommy Talau (ankle) was expected back for the second trial against the Panthers, along with Nathan Brown, while Jason Saab (ankle) and Josh Aloiai (broken scapula) would return round one.
“It was good to get some work against different opposition,” Seibold said.
“I was really impressed with the Dragons and their new spine. They looked very, very good. I also thought the Dragons had a real physicality about them and probably won that physical battle this morning.”