Unwanted Cronulla halfback Brett Kimmorley will meet his manager on Thursday to begin the search for a new home in 2009 as the player merry-go-round continues to swing unabated.

Kimmorley admits his future at Cronulla is bleak as the club are continually linked to attempts to recruit Wigan star and former St George Illawarra captain Trent Barrett back to the NRL.

Barrett has yet to ask Wigan for a release from the final year of his deal, but NRL clubs have been told the former Test and NSW star wants in excess of $400,000 per season to return home.

The Sharks, Dragons and Canberra are interested in securing the 30-year-old, while the Bulldogs and Manly both baulked at the price tag.

Kimmorley, who commands $300,000 a year, knows if the Sharks succeed with Barrett he needs to move on and after several clubs confirmed key signings for next season he must act quick.

The Raiders poached lock Nathan Smith to return home from Penrith on a three-year deal, with Canberra forward Neville Costigan expected to leave for the Gold Coast next season.

The Dragons retained winger Jason Nightingale for three seasons while Gold Coast utility Josh Graham extended his deal for a further two years.

And Raiders halfback Michael Dobson is waiting for a decision from Canberra on his request for an immediate release to join English club Hull KR.

If, as expected, Dobson receives permission to join Hull then it would be one less English club available for Kimmorley.

The former Test half will meet his manager George Mimis to discuss his future and he wants answers as to how, after signing a two-year deal with Cronulla last year, his position at the club became so easily disposable.

"(Speculation) shows that my future at the club is thin," Kimmorley told Fox Sports News.

"I'm just reading between the lines thinking if that's the case then obviously Brett Kimmorley has to pursue somewhere else.

"I have a meeting with my manager on Thursday to see what my options are and if I will decide to pursue any of them.

"I'm going to hopefully find everything in front of me on Thursday and say this is where I am at, this is where you are going and this is what has been happening in the last two weeks for this to blow up."

The Sharks need to clear the decks to afford Barrett with last week's mooted player trade the likely result.

Prop Ben Ross needs to be offloaded to a UK club to free up cash for Barrett which, if successful, would result in Kimmorley being offered as a straight swap with Dragons prop Jason Ryles, with both on similar pay levels.

Kimmorley said joining the Dragons would be his preferred option if forced out of Cronulla as he would not have to relocate his family and he could link with former Test mentor Wayne Bennett.

But unlike previous seasons, he is now open to finishing his career in England.

"England might become a forced option," he said.

"I thought I had two years of football at the club to wind up my career as a player and to continue my media work and I was really comfortable.

"For it to blow up so early this season is a shock.

"It's not devastating, just very hard to understand where I'm going to be next week."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP