The club could clear a million dollars from the salary cap should it be determined Stewart and teammate Steve Matai were forced into retirement with one-off injuries.

That could be tough considering NRL chief medical officer Paul Bloomfield was also Stewart’s doctor for at Manly for more than a decade during which time the fullback suffered recurring knee injuries.

Manly are gathering independent medical advice for Matai in the hope his neck and shoulder issues will allow his 2017 wages to be wiped from the club’s cap.

The Northern Beaches club would then be in a position to hit the market in search of marquee replacements.