BY CURTIS WOODWARD

The latest whisper around Brookvale is that Trent Barrett and Manly-Warringah aren’t done with their recruitment drive for 2017.

Manly this week announced the signing of discarded Wests Tigers forward Curtis Sironen with the club copping a good old hammering on social media.

Fan favourites Jamie Buhrer, Siosaia Vave and Tom Symonds are gone while club legends Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai have retired. Another icon of the club, Brett Stewart, could also part ways by the end of the year. All this on the back of superstars Kieran Foran, Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart walking out over the last few seasons.

It’s been a puzzling time for Sea Eagles fans but one rumoured signing doing the rounds might make a little more sense based on talent and talent alone.

Former premiership-winning Melbourne Storm forward Sika Manu has been sounded out by Barrett about joining the Sea Eagles for next year despite being under contract at Hull FC for 2017.

It could be a bitter double blow for Hull FC fans who have already lost Manu’s good friend Frank Pritchard who has returned to Australia and linked with Parramatta.

Manu is no stranger to Manly fans with the Kiwi International part of the Storm teams that battled the Sea Eagles through many vicious encounters in the past.

Reports surfaced earlier in the year that Manu was set to retire due to a chronic back injury but that was rubbished by Hull FC with the no-nonsense backrower now weighing up the offer from Manly.

@woodward_curtis