Proud Queenslander Chris McQueen has bought a house on the Gold Coast and dreams of playing NRL finals footy again with the Titans.
But the former Maroons State of Origin forward said a chance to play out his career in Sydney with the rebuilding Wests Tigers proved an offer too good to refuse.
Gold Coast backrower McQueen admitted he had mixed emotions after signing a three-year Tigers deal from 2018, believed to be worth $400,000 a season.
The ex-South Sydney Rabbitoh looked set to stay on the Gold Coast after resurrecting his career at the Titans, helping them play finals footy for the first time in six years last season.
He even bought a house in February.
However, McQueen - 30 in August - said the security offered by the Tigers deal proved the difference on the negotiation table.
"Certainly there are mixed emotions. I have loved my time here," he said.
"I am a Queenslander. I would love to have stayed.
"But I am getting to the back end (of my career) and I guess the extra year in the three-year deal is what got me over the line.
"If I was early 20s I would have stayed for two years.
"But I am going to be 30 at the end of the year. Having my future set until I am 33 was a big thing."
McQueen has some unfinished business at the Gold Coast - like finding a tenant for his new house.
"I have already got some of the guys in the team hammering me to move in," he laughed.
McQueen's top priority is helping reverse the Titans' fortunes and launch a bold finals bid.
That will be easier said than done for second-last Titans (1-6 record) against a confident Cronulla on Saturday night.
Especially with their horror injury run showing no sign of slowing down.
Five more players joined their injury list after their last-round loss to Brisbane - Konrad Hurrell, co-captain Ryan James (both ankle), Chris Grevsmuhl (groin), Max King (hand) and Dale Copley (back).
King is out for a month, Grevsmuhl is expected to be sidelined for three weeks and Copley is unlikely against the Sharks.
James and Hurrell are expected to play along with backrower Kevin Proctor (hamstring).
Jarryd Hayne (ankle) and Agnatius Paasi (shoulder) are expected back in the coming weeks.
"It's not going to be hard to get up for the Sharks," McQueen said.
"We can still make the finals if we start a run now.
"Mathematically it (finals) is getting harder each week but we will have our senior boys coming back soon and if we can build there is certainly belief (to make finals)."
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