In a season of under-performance and uncertainty, around their coach and the their salary cap for next year, smiles have been few and far between. They were back on the dials of Canterbury players, however, on Sunday after a 30-16 win over Manly. 

Trent Barrett concedes Manly are in a hole and must "man up" and find a way out of it very soon.

Manly are walking an NRL finals tightrope after they were beaten 30-16 by Canterbury on Sunday.

The Canterbury Bulldogs have organised a recruitment and retention meeting for next week to outline a plan to get under the $9.4 million salary cap, with St George Illawarra making preliminary enquiries about the future of James Graham.

NRL clubs have agreed to a salary cap of $9.4 million next year, in signing off on a pay offer that will on Monday be put to the game's players.

• ANALYSIS

It now appears a fait accompli that Des Hasler will be tapped on the shoulder after the club's end -of-season review. So if Canterbury are going to sack Hasler, which by the week looks increasingly more likely to happen this off season than at the end of 2019, why not do it now?

The Canterbury No.1 could become the first NRL fullback in at least a decade to go through a season without a four-pointer.

It was feared that Josh Reynolds had played his last game for his beloved Bulldogs but there is renewed hope that the departing Canterbury five-eighth may be back from injury in time to make an emotional farewell home appearance against St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium.

Club bosses will vote on a proposed salary cap for next year at a crucial meeting in Sydney on Thursday.

Canterbury's last-ditch bid for significant salary cap relief next year has suffered a major blow with NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg to be a no-show at a lunch on Monday called by Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib.

Josh Reynolds may have played his last game for Canterbury after suffering a calf injury in Thursday's loss to Souths.

• ANALYSIS

Andrew Hill, during his stint at Greater Western Sydney, did not have to deal with salary cap pressures.

The World Cup boss will take over from Raelene Castle at the end of the season.

Speculation around the Bulldogs has been so rampant this season it has even got back to James Graham's mother.

Canterbury coach Des Hasler has taken a sly shot at the NRL over the environment of uncertainty they have created.

So what about Phil Gould's five year plan at the Panthers? "There has never been a five year plan. That's media gibberish," Gould fires back.

Edgy clubs are keenly awaiting the finalisation of the cap for 2018.

It's been 10 years since Parramatta won as many games as they have this season.

Hasler won't be sacked before the end of the season. But if he doesn't start winning games soon, the board will have no choice.