Dynamic running forward Herman Ese'ese has shot down suggestions he is not happy at the club after he was denied a release by the Knights to link with the Gold Coast on a three-year-deal during the pre-season.
Ese'ese is under strong consideration for a starting spot in the Knights pack at lock for their round one showdown against the Warriors at McDonald Johns Stadium tomorrow week.
But less than a month ago, his future appeared clouded after the Titans approached his management about the possibility of him getting out of the final year of his contract in Newcastle to head north. Gold Coast were desperately looking for a replacement for injured prop Ryan James who is out for the year and are understood to have offered Ese'ese around $500,000 a season.
But the move was blocked by Knights coach Adam O'Brien with Ese'ese telling the Newcastle Herald he is not looking to get out and is keen to stay at the Knights long term.
"I'm happy here in Newy - everyone who knows me knows that," he said.
"I bought my first house here at Charlestown, my partner is here, my mum is here and I love the town and love the boys. I'm not looking to leave."
Asked about the interest from the Gold Coast, Ese'ese said: "My manager and Adsy [O'Brien] were dealing with that and my manager told me about it.
"But I said from the start [of pre-season] that I've always wanted to stay and repay the faith that Adsy has shown in me and I'm really confident he is going to get the best out of me as a player.
"The fact that he wants me here and didn't want to let me go has given me a lot of confidence as well.
"I just want to have a good season for him and the boys and I definitely think my best footy is ahead of me."
While the three-year-deal from the Titans would have provided security, Ese'ese is confident his footy will do his talking this season.
"Right now, I'm just focused on this year because if I go out there and have a good, consistent season, the future is going to look after itself," he said.
Despite suffering a sprained foot that kept him off the training paddock for a few weeks and was the reason he sat out the Dragons trial in Maitland a fortnight ago, Ese'ese says he has never felt better going into a season.
"I had a bit of a sprain there and tried to push for the Dragons trial but didn't quite get there and was basically told to rest up for another week,"he said.
"But I'm feeling the fittest I've ever been so there is no reason why I can't have the best season of my career so far.
"I went into the Roosters trial confident of the work I've put in during the pre-season and I just tried to showcase that. I was actually a bit nervous at the start with it being my first game of the season and under Adsy and getting to start. I thought I did pretty well but it was just my first hit-out so I know I can get better from here."
Whether he starts against the Warriors or comes off the bench will be up to the coach.
"Obviously, we have got a good forward pack and the competition among the boys is pretty healthy with guys like young J Saf [Jacob Saititi] and older blokes like [Tim] Glasby that are going pretty well," he said.
"Just rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mitch Barnett, big Klem [David Klemmer] and D Saf [Daniel Saifiti] - that's what will get my best footy out of me."
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