Kiwis international Kieran Foran will be sought after by NRL clubs in 2018, with Melbourne Storm expected to enter the mix.

Melbourne Storm have begun contemplating life after Cooper Cronk and Kieran Foran is set to be on top of their shopping list as they prepare to go into the market for an established match winner to try and fill the enormous hole left by the departing halfback.

Three days after Cronk's sudden announcement that he was moving to Sydney next year, Melbourne's retention and recruitment committee is due to meet on Friday to put their heads together over how to best chart a course forward without the three-time grand final winner.

Teenager Brodie Croft, who made his NRL debut last year and starred at the Auckland Nines in February, has huge wraps on him and has been groomed as Cronk's long-term successor south of the border.

GETTY IMAGES Melbourne Storm have a big gap to fill in 2018 with star half Cooper Cronk confirming he is leaving the club at season's end.

However, with money to spend the Storm have already determined that they need to pursue a proven half after being steered around the paddock for a dozen seasons by one of the greatest halfbacks of the modern era.

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Foran, who made an impressive club debut for New Zealand Warriors on Sunday in his first NRL appearance in 10 months, is sure to figure prominently in this week's recruitment committee talks, with talk out of Melbourne already that he will be identified as a target.

The former Parramatta captain is the most accomplished of the playmakers off contract at season's end, a list that also includes Cronk's former halves partner Gareth Widdop, Bulldogs five-eighth Josh Reynolds, Brisbane's Anthony Milford, Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson and Cronulla premiership winner Chad Townsend.

As for Cronk speculation is rife that he will end up at Canterbury, with a link being drawn by some into the fact that he is managed by the same agent, George Mimis, who this week helped orchestrate a two-year contract extension at Belmore for Bulldogs coach Des Hasler.

Cronk is moving to Sydney to be close to his fiancee, Fox Sports presenter Tara Rushton, and is yet to decide whether he will play on or hang up the boots after this season.

Long-time club, state and national teammate Billy Slater said on Wednesday had no idea if Cronk would continue playing or retire.

"To be honest, there wasn't a whole heap of shock (at Cronk's decision) but it was more thinking about the potential of playing against Cooper, I've never played a game of footy against Cooper," Slater said.

"So that's a little bit weird but when Cooper got engaged earlier this year I knew it would be hard for him to live away from his fiancee for two years so the writing was thereabouts. Cooper tried to make it work but unfortunately for us at Melbourne Storm he's moving on to Sydney."

Slater himself is off contract. "I'm yet to determine what I will do next year and I still haven't thought about that," he said.

"I'm just enjoying playing football again. I've had three games under my belt now and hopefully I'll get many more, then hopefully make that decision later on."