Scurrah may well be foxing, and may yet pull the Sea Eagle out of the hat, especially given that the Warriors have some cash freed up with the departures of Maloney and Lewis Brown, as well as the impending increase in the NRL salary cap.
But it is hard to see the Warriors managing to prise Foran away from Manly or Canterbury.
He loves life on the northern beaches of Sydney and has a close off field friendship with halves partner Daly Cherry Evans, who re-signed a new four year deal last year. The Bulldogs can count on the emotional pull of Hasler, who has developed Foran since his first grade debut in 2009, and a string of wealthy backers who have put together a huge offer that includes third party deals.
Meanwhile, the Warriors head into a busy recruitment phase over the next few months, with the first priority tying up deals for players who are coming off contract, as well as scouring the market for available new talent. While emphasising that the club will first be looking at internal options, Scurrah admits that if they were to look outside, priority positions would be centre and five eighth.
Thomas Leuluai has been signed to replace Maloney but it is understood that the club would like to have another option in the halves alongside Shaun Johnson, and Leuluai is also seen as someone who can play hooker.
"If there are top players out there you always look at them - although it is not often that the top halves come available," says Scurrah. "The coach may want more but that position is effectively covered, with Thomas, Carlos Tuimavave, Feleti Mateo and Pita Godinet."
With Maloney, the Warriors may not realise what a gem they had until he's gone.
While the pull of family made his departure seem almost inevitable, it is tough for fans to accept that one of the best players to come to Mt Smart is leaving at the peak of his powers. Maloney had a staggering season last year, with 10 tries (behind only Manu Vatuvei, 12 and Krisnan Inu, 11), 16 line breaks (top), 15 try assists (second) and averaged almost 20 tackles per game.
On top of all that, he contributed 82 goals at 75 per cent, the difference in many close games.
He brings genuine toughness and tenacity, a superb general kicking game and is one of the best hole runners in the game, indeed one of the best halves in the NRL at finding a gap.
"I'm not really sure where I learnt it from - it is just utilising a bloke like Feleti [Mateo] who has got so much talent with the ball," says Maloney of his ability to slice through a gap.
"It is seeing the hole and running that line - Feleti knows I will be there somewhere. I guess it is a thing you learn in general play. As a ball player that is what you would like the runners to do so you try to do it yourself."
The Warriors will find it hard to watch Maloney splitting a defensive line while playing in a Roosters jersey next year; before that, he is also an outside contender for an Origin jumper.
He was called into the NSW Emerging Origin camp in January, run by Blues legends Steve Roach and Glen Lazarus, which gave prospective players a taste of the Origin experience.
Recently luminaries such as Greg Alexander have called for his selection in the NSW team, saying that the livewire, unpredictable Warrior could be a gamebreaker as the Blues aim to break a six-year drought.
"It's nice to have the pats on the back from anyone but it is still a long way away and I will have to be playing good football at the time to have any chance," says Maloney.
"I've definitely got areas I want to improve and things to keep working on but I think I have got a solid base to start from and build my way through the year. There are a few little structural differences with Bluey [McClennan] coming in and we are trying to execute them at the right times during games. Improving the go-to plays and getting them down pat through the years."
