Damien Cook, the experienced hooker for St. George Illawarra, is down to his last two matches in the NRL before moving to the Super League in 2027.
Following Jacob Liddle's injury that has sidelined him for the season, the 35-year-old has rejoined the Dragons' starting lineup and reflected on his 261-game career, which began with the Dragons in 2013 before he spent two years with the Bulldogs and nine seasons with the Rabbitohs.
"It's been a tough season," Cook stated.
"But I made the call nice and early on where I was going next year, so I've really just been trying to soak up every moment."
Even though this year is set to end with the NRL wooden spoon, Cook believes there is hope for the club's dedicated fans looking ahead to 2027, not just due to recent player acquisitions.
"Part of being a senior player here is making sure I leave the club in a good position," he explained.
"Obviously it hasn't been the best year (on the field) but I really do think it's been an important one in terms of setting a standard for how we train and how we go about things now.
"Next year I think they're going to have a really positive season off the back of this not-so-good one."
Looking ahead, Cook is confident that Jacob Liddle can elevate the Dragons' performance at No.9 in 2027 and beyond.
"He's obviously had a tough season with injuries, but I really love where his game is at, especially the last couple of weeks where he was starting; he really deserved that.
"Next year he's going to have a really good season."
Cook is one of six players from St. George Illawarra making the leap to the Super League in 2027, where he will join Castleford Tigers alongside teammates Mathew Feagai and Tyrell Sloan.
The impact of the unexpected departure of Ryan Carr as Castleford's coach, who was formerly an assistant and interim head coach for the Dragons, on their contracts remains uncertain.