Newcastle back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon has repeatedly said in recent years he'd struggle to play against the Knights.
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He is a proud Novocastrian, South Newcastle junior and from a family with strong ties to the region.
The 29-year-old also experienced the club's lowest ebb, having debuted in 2015 when the side claimed the first of three consecutive wooden-spoons.
He is desperate to enjoy some success with his home-town team.
But Fitzgibbon is one of nine off-contract Knights who, at this stage, are vying for only a few vacant spots in the top-30 roster next year.
There has been speculation in recent weeks that he is in the sights of Super League clubs, and after Sunday's victory over the Gold Coast, Fitzgibbon didn't rule out a move to England for 2024.
"All options are on the table at the moment. I am off contract," he told the Newcastle Herald.
"I want to have a really big year this year and finish strong.
"The way I play this year and the way we as a team play this year, I think it will look after itself.
"I'm not too sure what the future holds."
Fitzgibbon was coy on whether there had already been interest from the English competition, preferring to leave any contract talk to later in the year.
He is not looking past Newcastle's next few games, a run which starts with Cronulla in Coffs Harbour on Saturday followed by Manly at home before another bye.
"I'll just focus on this next month of footy and at the back end of the season, we'll see what plays out," he said.
Now in his eighth full season of first grade, Fitzgibbon has rode some highs and lows across his 109-game career.
At one point a near prolific try-scorer, crossing once every two games, on average, in 2017 and 2018, he has had a string of injuries over recent seasons.
Across 2020-22, Fitzgibbon played only 36 of a possible 70 games. But he has enjoyed a decent start to this season, playing all 10 matches and scoring three tries.
"It's the most consecutive games I've played in two-and-a-half years," he said.
"The body is going really good. I've just got to keep ticking over and doing the little things at training, making sure my body is good to go for week-in, week-out footy."
Fitzgibbon said he had never really considered leaving the Knights, not even when the side struggled.
"This is my home club, and I just couldn't really see myself playing for any other club in the NRL," he said.
"I'm proud of that, and a proud Novocastrian.
"I want to do everything I can to make this club successful for however much longer I'm here.
"We've got a good side, and we've been building for a while, but I want to do something special here."
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