Trent Robinson has vowed to fight to keep Joey Manu at the Sydney Roosters, banking on his eight years at Bondi to drive him to stay at the NRL club.
Manu looms as one of the most in-demand free agents this summer, contracted until the end of next year but able to be approached for 2023 from November 1.
There are already suggestions he could be a target for New Zealand Rugby, with Manu having previously stated his desire to be an All Black.
He is almost certain to be a high priority pursuit for NRL rivals who would offer close to $1 million a year, with the potential lure of a No.1 jersey.
But Robinson is confident Manu is an out-and-out Rooster.
The centre first joined the club as a 17-year-old in 2014, moving into Roosters House alongside the likes of Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Latrell Mitchell while playing SG Ball.
And it's there Robinson sees the difference between Manu and fellow Kiwi Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who the club lost to the Warriors in 2016.
"Roger was only here for a couple of years before he left whereas Joey's been here for a long long time now," Robinson said.
"Ever since he was a kid he came over here and started playing.
"You can see what he means to us as a team. I don't need to add much more other than that he's been a Rooster, he is a Rooster and and his family are Roosters as well.
"We understand that it would be mad if there wasn't interest (from elsewhere), but we definitely want to keep him as a Rooster."
Manu has been one of the stars of the Roosters' revival in the past month with four straight wins, scoring four tries and setting up six in that period.
Missing more than half of their salary cap worth through injury, Robinson claims this has been the most challenging year of his coaching career.
But there has been a light at the end of the tunnel, with big wins over Parramatta and Newcastle in the past two weeks without the likes of Luke Keary, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, Brett Morris and Lindsay Collins.
"I feel like we're adapting more and more," Robinson said.
"I feel we've been improving that the longer we haven't seen those guys come back.
"Combinations are getting better, so is our understanding around these guys that were temporarily in those positions that are now permanent and what they're going to do.
"We've been building, but also understand that the test ahead is as big as we've had in the last five weeks."
"That's why we're looking forward to attacking that challenge ... because we're going to have to accelerate if we want to have the year that we want to have."
Australian Associated Press
