Veteran winger Sam Perrett has revealed he is close to putting pen to paper on a new contract at the Bulldogs that will likely mean he sees out his NRL career at Belmore.
Going into business for himself Perrett said he was hardly stressed by the prolonged discussions, adding that money is just one aspect he has concerned himself with looking ahead unlike those who have managers negotiate deals for them in the name of football.
"I've just got that faith that everything will work out and it's looking really good. It's just a matter of putting it all on a formal contract," Perrett said.
"I'm comfortable. I've been in the game long enough. I'm looking for certain things and it's not just about money for me. There are a whole lot of other things that are important to me and I think that's all pretty much been ticked for me so I'm stoked.
"For me, there are a lot of other things that hold value for me – comfort, momentum, opportunity, and a good, healthy environment. That's really important for me and my family.
"But then you have other players, they don't really want to focus on that. They want to focus on their football and they're not too interested in that side of it. In that instance, it's good to have someone else working for you."
Loyalty is a big thing to Perrett, who was unwanted by the Roosters beyond 2012 and joined the Bulldogs midway through that season, and had some choice words about how it's represented in rugby league nowadays, in light of Robbie Farah's recent troubles.
"Loyalty really doesn't seem existent. Someone [like Farah] who's been a servant for the club for so long, he's been such an amazing player for them and such a hard opponent to play against," Perrett said.
"It's really sad to see them go through these things. I went through a similar experience myself. It's sad, it really is sad. It's just the reality of the way it works."
With Perrett now allowed to now focus on the task at hand as the Bulldogs gear up for this weekend's elimination final against the Dragons, the 30-year-old is excited to make amends for the club's two grand final losses in the past three seasons.
"It's really exciting. It's another shot for me personally that I've been looking forward to, and another opportunity to get that ring. It's something that I'm pretty hungry for," he said.
"Just to fall short just one step, it's heartbreaking. But they are always opportunities to learn from, so long as you can the lessons and apply them. Hopefully the last couple of grand finals that we've missed out on, we can fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle."
