Parramatta prop Kane Evans feared he would be shown the door by the NRL club after just one season, admitting he was "s***" when he first arrived at the Eels.
Evans will now attempt to leave Parramatta a premiership winner, as they ramp up their preparations for a second straight finals series.
A win against Melbourne on Saturday night would secure the Eels' first preliminary final appearance since 2009.
Evans will next year link with the Warriors, who it's understood were able to offer more money and minutes than Parramatta when they signed him on a two-year deal in August.
But by the 28-year-old Evans' own admission, he could have been pushed out of the Eels much earlier.
After arriving as a high-profile signing from the Sydney Roosters, the former Junior Kangaroos forward played nine games in reserve grade in 2018.
"My first year I was s*** as," Evans said.
"I came with my broken arm and I was lucky they didn't get rid of me actually. I was rat's arse.
"The whole club went down. And we all sank as one big ship.
"I'm lucky they didn't (try to sell me off). They showed faith in me and I am grateful to the club for that.
"But I am in a better position now for myself, I wouldn't change anything.
"I am leaving with a full brain of knowledge from what I have learned."
Evans' numbers are now well up on his 2018 season, despite playing marginally less minutes.
He is averaging more than nine metres per run in 2020 and has made an impact off the bench as part of free-wheeling Eels pack regularly taking their chances to offload.
But he is still learning from his opponents too.
The prop is salivating at the chance to come up against the Storm's Gold Coast-bound lock Tino Faasuamaleaui, with the two likely to clash in the middle at Suncorp Stadium.
"It's crazy, their forward pack. I really love watching them," Evans said.
"Big Tino, he is probably my favourite to watch at the moment.
"It's weird, I'm watching him learning and he is 20 years old and I am 28.
"He's been killing it.
"He's the future.
"It's going to be a big test. I can't wait."
