Paul Momirovski will likely only play two games for the Sydney Roosters but he'll leave the club after giving coach Trent Robinson a reward for the ultimate show of faith.
Bound for the Wests Tigers at season's end, centre Momirovski was a shock inclusion in the Roosters' side in Saturday night's preliminary final win over South Sydney.
Having only filled in once against the Gold Coast earlier this year, Momirovski was only publicly named an hour before kick-off to replace the suspended Latrell Mitchell but scored the match-sealing try in the 12-4 win.
Mitchell will return next week, meaning the 22-year-old's playing career at the Tri-colours is almost certainly over.
"It's sad," Momirovski said.
"This club's really made me the man I am
" All the coaching staff, it's been the same staff here for the last five years I've been here.
"I'm forever grateful for what they've done for me and my career.
"(Heading to the Roosters) was one of the best decisions I've made in my life, friends, development, and the man I am today is greatly to do with what's happened here and how they've coached us."
Momirovski's efforts in front of coaching staff at training was what got him on the field at Allianz Stadium.
The Roosters had originally planned to play Mitchell Aubusson in the centres as a replacement for Mitchell.
However, Robinson was in a meeting on Tuesday with Boyd Cordner to discuss the possibility of Momirovski playing before a final call was made in secret on Wednesday.
"I remember the smile on Boyd's face when I said let's go for Paul, because we both had a huge amount of trust in him," Robinson said.
"Because he knew our system as well as anybody. He only played one game but he trained for years for (Saturday night).
"He did a great job out there on the left-edge decision making and scored the match-winning try because he was in the right space at the right time.
"That's what a good club looks like."
A South Sydney junior, Momirovski started the season outside of the Roosters' full-time squad and only came into their top 30 in April when the club needed to top it up.
"This is a club that's not just 17 players that play," Momirovski said.
"It's the whole squad.
"You can throw anyone in, in any position, and they would've done the same thing."
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