The headlines keep coming in the wake of North Queensland's miraculous 20-19 extra-time victory over Cronulla, with the Cowboys inking playmaker Robert Lui to a one-year contract extension which keeps him in Townsville until the end of 2015.
Lui said he had seriously considered offers from other clubs, which he revealed to NRL.com to be the Cronulla Sharks and Canberra Raiders.
Since switching from halfback to five-eighth two months ago – around the same time that Cronulla had been rumoured to show interest – Lui's on-field form has spiked, responding to various heart-to-heart conversations with coach Paul Green.
"In the heart-to-hearts, [Green] really told me where he wants me in this team and he told me that I have got to perform. I got dropped during the year and I didn't really like that but I took confidence out of that and I showed Greeny that I wanted to be the number one halfback. The coach has got to be honest with you and if he's not honest then why bother coming to play," he told NRL.com.
"I take Greeny as he is. He is a coach and he tells you how it is. We're good mates off the field, we muck around and we joke around but at the end of the day when it comes down to the crunch footy, he wants the best out of me and I think he has got the best out of me; oh, I reckon he could get a bit more," Lui added, challenging himself.
Born and bred in Townsville, Lui said staying in his home city was a big part of his decision-making.
"I have just been doing my job playing for the Cowboys and I've got one more year and I'm happy here. I'm a North Queenslander at heart and I'm glad to be staying," he said.
"I did [think about going to another team]. I'm not going to lie, I did. But I'm here, my family's here, my whole family's here and my extended family as well and I've got good mates here as well. I'm happy. I've always got a soft heart for the Cowboys, what they've done for me. They've stood by me and they are everything to me, they are my heart."
Looking forward to another chance in Cowboys colours next season, Lui said the main challenge has and will continue to come in the form of off-field discipline and staying in top physical shape.
"Whatever I eat, I'll put on [weight] so I have got to limit that. I'm not blessed like the Raymonds [Ray Thompson] or the Johnnos [Thurston] where they've got good bodies and that. I've got to work a bit harder. I've got all the ability on the field but off the field I wasn't blessed that way like all of them boys are, but that's how it is and that's what I've got to work on."
