St George Illawarra has upped the ante in their pursuit of Jarryd Hayne, with the club prepared to release fullback Matt Dufty in a bid to free up the funds required to meet the cross-code star’s asking price.

The development comes as the Red V move closer towards locking in star NSW forward Tariq Sims on a long-term deal.

On way out? The Dragons are prepared to let Matt Dufty go in order to accommodate Jarryd Hayne. Robert Peet

Dufty is contracted until the end of next season but rival clubs have been told he could be immediately available. The 22-year-old is hoping to extend his stay at the joint-venture outfit, although he will need to lower his asking price for that to happen.

Hayne is yet to find a club for next season, caught in limbo because Parramatta have not got the salary cap space required to fit him into their roster.

The Eels are desperate to keep him but have only $200,000 left in the kitty. They are hoping to move on at least one player - there is some interest from Newcastle in Michael Jennings - in order to accommodate the two-time Dally M medallist.

It means Hayne is effectively in a holding pattern while two clubs race to offload players deemed surplus to requirements.

Hayne is training on his own while clubless, hoping his future is resolved as soon as possible. He missed Parramatta’s pre-season camp in Armidale last week but the blue and golds continue to leave a top-30 spot open for him.

Their main competition will come from the Dragons, who aren’t sold on Dufty as their long-term No.1. Dufty has shown flashes of brilliance during his 32-game NRL career, scoring 15 tries and displaying blistering pace. However, there are concerns about his lack of size and consistency, prompting the interest in Hayne.

The Dragons have a spot open for a marquee back after the retirement of Jason Nightingale and the release of Nene Macdonald to North Queensland. Hayne is believed to be seeking up to $700,000 to play in the NRL next season and Dufty’s departure would allow the Dragons to get close to that mark.

Another priority for the Red V is the retention of Sims. The backrower was rewarded for his most consistent season with a NSW jersey and is one of the biggest-name forwards off contract at the end of 2019. The Dragons are desperate to retain him and are believed to be close to ensure he stays put.

If Dufty is offloaded it could pave the way for Jarryd Hayne. NRL Photos

Now that the coaching merry-go-round is all but over - Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold are expected to switch clubs in coming weeks - the focus will now turn to the players. Incoming Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire could soon be reunited with Rabbitoh Zane Musgrove, who is considering interest from the joint-venture outfit. The Tigers have signed Ryan Matterson and Paul Momirovski from the Roosters but still have two spots free in their top-30 roster. Maguire will switch his full focus on how to fill them after finishing up his commitments with the New Zealand national team for the year.

"Obviously when you've got spaces available you're always going to keep your eye out for what might be out there," Maguire told AAP.

"I'll assess the group and jump into the pre-season. I'm really looking forward to getting back in. I've had my break, I'm over my break and I can't wait to get back into coaching.

"To do it week-to-week is something I love doing."