Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has expressed his relief at signing a new deal with the Sydney Roosters that keeps him at the club until the end of 2017.
The affable prop was one of several top-line players off-contract at the club and admits it's been difficult trying to put the uncertainty about his future to the back of his mind.
Just before Christmas Canberra offered the New Zealand international a lucrative deal to move to the nation's capital but it was taken off the table after he failed to meet a deadline to agree terms.
But the 26-year-old said the thought of leaving the club where he won a premiership in 2013 was hard to take and a huge weight was taken off his shoulders on Monday night when he told the club had found a way to keep him.
"There was a bit of interest from elsewhere but the Roosters is home for me," Waerea-Hargreaves said.
"It's relief but exciting at the same time... it's been ongoing for a couple of months now.
"But my managers just said worry about getting some hard training done the rest will look after itself. So when I got the tap on the shoulder last night I was delighted."
With Waerea-Hargreaves' future now sorted the club must now try and keep fellow 2013 premiership winners Shaun Kenny-Dowall, James Maloney and Daniel Tupou who are yet to be locked up beyond this season.
Damaging young forward Dylan Napa, now a regular member of the side, is also angling for a new deal.
Waerea-Hargreaves said contract issues are generally a taboo issue between the players but it does still play on the minds of squad members who are still working out where their future lies.
"We've been through a lot together over the last few years... I'm done and now it's time for the others," he said.
"You don't talk about contracts but you now when you're time is coming up. You just have to get your head down, backside up and hope you can hang around.
"You don't worry about it so much, but you do start to think: 'am I going to be hanging around here?'
"But it's the good thing about 'Robbo' (coach Trent Robinson), he's been very open and honest with all of us and that does help."
Robinson said he was pleased to secure the services of a crucial member of his senior playing group.
"Highly respected by the coaching staff and his teammates, Jared is an integral member of our leadership group," Robinson said.
"He's someone not only I but everyone at the Roosters values for his contributions both on and off the field."
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