Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall is keen on retaining the talents of Heamasi Makasini, as the young star has expressed interest in possibly returning to rugby union.
Makasini has drawn comparisons to the legendary Jonah Lomu, a former All Blacks player who amazed fans during the 1990s.
At just 18 years old, Makasini previously represented Australia at junior rugby levels but has now committed to Wests Tigers with a three-year contract starting in 2024.
He is slated to play in the centres for the Tigers as they face North Queensland in their season opener at Leichhardt Oval this Saturday.
Having made an impression in his NRL debut last year, where he scored in the last round, Makasini mentioned to reporters that he remains open to a transition back to rugby at some point during his career.
Marshall emphasized the club's commitment to keeping Makasini after his contract concludes at the end of the 2027 season.
"I don't talk about recruiting publicly, but what I will say is Heamasi is really important to us," Marshall stated.
"And we'll prioritise whatever we need to do to make sure he stays here.
"But rugby, for me, is not a concern at the moment. All I'm worried about is he's still got two more years here under contract [and] we need to get the best out of him."