The Manly Sea Eagles salary cap saga could extend deep into the NRL pre-season after they were granted a second extension on their reply to a breach notice.
The Sea Eagles were on Wednesday expected to formally respond to preliminary findings of potential cap breaches stretching over the past five seasons.
However, after being offered an deadline of January 31, an NRL spokesperson confirmed the club have been given until February 5 to make their case.
Last December the governing body threatened a significant fine should the preliminary findings be confirmed, as well as a penalty on the club's salary cap for 2018
Any reduction in the club's $9.4 million cap would greatly hinder their chances of signing an established playmaker, after releasing five-eighth Blake Green over the summer.
Manly have made no secret of their desire to lure former playmaker Trent Hodkinson back to the northern beaches, however, face the uphill battle to fit in his reported $600,000 deal.
The Sea Eagles have ex-Sydney Roosters halfback Jackson Hastings on their books, as well as new face Lachlan Croker, after his move from the Canberra Raiders, to wear the No.6.
The contract of December recruit Joel Thompson could also be heavily scrutinised.
The former St George Illawarra forward has already begun training with Manly but his contract may only be provisionally registered before the club's salary cap is cleared by the NRL.
Earlier this week, Manly chairman Scott Penn conceded the club may have had trouble appropriately addressing what he described as "technical issues" over their salary cap dramas.
"There are some areas we need to defend but it is really technicality issues. There is no wholesale rorting or anything like that," Penn told News Corp Australia on Monday.
"We don't feel like we have done anything outside the rules but some of it is down to interpretation.
"No one has been paid anything more than is in their contract or that other third-party people have paid them directly.
"The allegations are technical issues that perhaps weren't done appropriately.
"But it has never been anything more than that."
The Sea Eagles have a trial game against the Cronulla Sharks on February 17 and the Sydney Roosters a week later before they open their NRL season against the Newcastle Knights on March 9.
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