After three months of fruitless negotiations, Sea Eagles officials told Cherry-Evans' management they had until midday on Monday to get back to them with an answer. After failing to do so, powerbrokers pulled their multimillion-dollar offer.

Cherry-Evans will now almost certainly leave at the end of the year, with Gold Coast and Cronulla the favourites for his signature.

"It's obvious what we've done – we've set a deadline for a reason and we are now too close to round one," Sea Eagles chief executive Joe Kelly said.

"We will renew our conversations at some stage in the future."

Fairfax Media can reveal the Sea Eagles have already begun contingency planning and have expressed interest in luring Trent Hodkinson back to Brookvale.

Manly have been frustrated with the way Cherry-Evans has been paraded to potential suitors and have decided to bring the matter to a head. They are now focusing all of their energies on retaining halves partner Kieran Foran, who is leaning towards joining Parramatta in 2016.

There is the possibility the Sea Eagles will up their offer to Foran, although they need to ensure they still have the funds available to attract a quality No.7 to replace Cherry-Evans.

Hodkinson, also off contract, made his NRL debut for Manly in 2010 and went on to play 24 games for the club before switching to Canterbury. Since then he has overcome a series of injuries to lead the Bulldogs into last year's grand final and earn a NSW jersey, scoring the try that wrapped up the Blues' first State of Origin series win in nine years.

Despite his recent heroics, he is yet to come to terms with Canterbury, as the "family club" awaits the fate of Foran. Hodkinson was also overlooked for a leadership role at Belmore, officials opting instead for James Graham as captain and Aiden Tolman and Frank Pritchard preferred as his deputies.

It's understood the Sea Eagles have also sounded out promising Gold Coast halfback Kane Elgey, who was named the National Youth Competition's player of the year last year.

Hodkinson, who has also been linked with Cronulla, is one of several high-profile halves still without a home for 2016, alongside Chris Sandow, James Maloney, Aidan Sezer and Robert Lui.

The Eels' interest in Foran will only add further spice to Friday night's blockbuster clash, which will also be Anthony Watmough's first game against his former club.

Sea Eagles recruit Willie Mason didn't begrudge Foran shifting clubs if it meant setting up his family for life.

"I know a lot of clubs want him, and Manly want to keep him," Mason said.

"And why wouldn't that be the case? Same with DCE. They are two players you would sign for five years to build the whole club around.

"The dollars getting thrown around these days is unbelievable. If you're them, you'd feel sorry for them a little bit. You want to stay in Manly, they've won premierships here and love it here, it's a great place and a great club. [But] it would be hard, you're getting thrown over a million dollars a year – that's unbelievable.

"It's awesome to see a deal worth over $1 million for the first time in NRL history. Those two players deserve it because they're the best in the world and are at the right age."

Foran and Cherry-Evans are unlikely to make a call on their futures before Friday night's clash, one of the most anticipated opening-round fixtures to kick off an NRL season.

Watmough said, half jokingly, that he was looking to run over the top of his good friend and former teammate Brett Stewart during the Pirtek Stadium encounter.

"I heard that and had a bit of a chuckle," Stewart said. "I don't know if we'll cross paths, obviously with me being fullback, but if he gets through, our middle men aren't doing their job.

"It's definitely going to be unusual him playing opposite me in a different coloured jersey, but hopefully he doesn't make the break and run over the top of me."

Stewart, who will have an early opportunity to press for the NSW fullback jersey vacated by Jarryd Hayne's move to the NFL, said Watmough's defection added to the "theatre" of the occasion.

"The whole Choc factor has added a little bit but there's been a healthy rivalry between the clubs for many years," Stewart said. "Friday night will be no different."