In the end, it was all manager speak, as Bevan French has opted to remain with the Wigan Warriors.
The English powerhouse has seen the absolute best of French and the club moved quickly to lock down his services for 2021.
The deal also has an option for the 2022 season.
In 26 games since the back end of last season for Wigan, French has 22 tries, a phenomenal try-scoring rate.
The club were not about to hide their excitement when it came to retaining a live-wire attacking player like French.
“This is a very important signing for the Club. At a time when the country needs good news, this should make everyone smile, not just Wigan fans,” said club Executive Director, Kris Radlinski.
“It is really sad that Bevan is producing moments of magic in front of empty stadiums.
“Bevan is a box office and people like him need to be seen live to be appreciated.”
Radlinski also backs French to get even better.
He is everything that the English Super League should be about. Young, exciting, articulate, and the good news is that he is going to get better and better,” continued Radlinski.
“We need to thank our owner Ian Lenagan for making this bold statement in challenging times.
“This is for the fans of Wigan to thank you for your continued love and support.”
For French, it was a chance to continue to play for a team that has become his home away from home.
“I’m very happy to be here,” said French.
“Ever since I arrived, people in the Club, teammates, and all the Wigan community have been really welcoming and I wanted to be able to spend the next year or two years here.
“It’s such a relief. It feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders now and I can really focus on the back end of the year.
With the players and coaches around him and Wigan’s consistency as a team, the decision was made easier for French.
“Making my decision has been easier thinking about the pros at Wigan,” continued French.
“We’ve got great coaching staff here and a great bunch of players. It’s an honour to play with some of the players in this team.”
Over in England on his own, French knows his family are watching him closely and he wants to win some silverware for them.
“Being over here by myself you would say has been tough, but you learn a lot about yourself and tend to grow as a person and hopefully I can continue to do that,” said French.
“My family in Australia try to watch every game and the main thing they tend to enjoy watching is seeing me with a smile on my face – that’s a big message from my mum, who thinks I look happy here.
“I’ve still got a lot more to achieve and I want them to see me win some silverware this year and hopefully some more next year.”
