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BRAITH Anasta has approached various crossroads throughout the past 13 seasons - but this time he's never been more certain about where he's headed.
First, he wants a new contract that will see him finish his career in his beloved red, white and blue.
Then he wants to play so well this season, in his preferred position of five-eighth, that coach Brian Smith has no choice but to keep the Roosters captain in the No.6 jumper.
You read that right. In other words, ahead of Warriors five-eighth James Maloney, who has already signed and will be delivered next season.
"If I stay here, I'll be trying to play as good as I can this year to push myself into five-eighth next year," Anasta, 30, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
"I like the position. It's where I belong. I've played there for so long, I've played my best football there. My best years have been at five-eighth. I've spoken to the club a little bit about it [Maloney coming in 2013] and obviously he's a great player. But the way I see it, it's a long season. All I can do is play the best football I can play. I want to start the season the strongest I can and play as well as I can all year."
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This looms as a pivotal season for many at the Roosters, who from all reports have completely shrugged off the ill-effects of Todd Carney's toxic influence and are ready to rise again.
It's a crucial year for the raw and abundantly talented younger players the side oozes; for the coach, who needs a successful season to keep his job; and for the captain, who remains unsigned.
Anasta has kept silent on the issue, probably because of the adverse headlines this time a year ago that suggested he was being squeezed out of the club and he was headed to North Queensland.
"I haven't looked elsewhere and I haven't spoken to anyone else," Anasta says of his contract negotiations. "I love the place and I don't want to be anywhere else. I didn't want any disruptions or any speculation about it because I wanted to nail my pre-season.
"I've kept in contact with the club, so hopefully we can sort something out for next year in the next couple of weeks. I don't know. I'll just keep meeting with them on a daily basis."
When the Roosters signed Maloney late last year for 2013, they tried as hard as possible to force the Warriors into allowing him to come a season early.
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The Warriors, who had already let coach Ivan Cleary depart early, weren't forthcoming.
Anasta says he would stand aside for Maloney in a "heartbeat" if it was the best thing for the side - but he is not meekly giving back the No.6 jumper that has been given to him since Carney's departure.
"I am loving being back at six," he says. "It's been handed to me because we've lost our six. I haven't really earned the right to play five-eighth. But I've done it before, I feel I've done a good job there and I did a good job there when I played there last year. I played the one game against Souths [last year] because Todd was out injured and we won. In the last four games when I played there, we won every time.
"This season, I've lost five kilos and I'm feeling really fit. I want to be around the action and trying to be the best leader I can be closer to the ball.
"Because we've got so much talent and so much ability, for me it's about getting the most out of our guys and playing smart."
Anasta also believes his move back to the halves can enable halfback Mitchell Pearce to soar like never before.
"I'd love to see Pearcey go to another level, and I want to help him do that this year," he says. "For me, it's about him taking control and leading the team in that department."
First, he wants a new contract that will see him finish his career in his beloved red, white and blue.
Then he wants to play so well this season, in his preferred position of five-eighth, that coach Brian Smith has no choice but to keep the Roosters captain in the No.6 jumper.
You read that right. In other words, ahead of Warriors five-eighth James Maloney, who has already signed and will be delivered next season.
"If I stay here, I'll be trying to play as good as I can this year to push myself into five-eighth next year," Anasta, 30, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
"I like the position. It's where I belong. I've played there for so long, I've played my best football there. My best years have been at five-eighth. I've spoken to the club a little bit about it [Maloney coming in 2013] and obviously he's a great player. But the way I see it, it's a long season. All I can do is play the best football I can play. I want to start the season the strongest I can and play as well as I can all year."
Play The Telegraph Sportsbet.com.au Supercoach 2012
This looms as a pivotal season for many at the Roosters, who from all reports have completely shrugged off the ill-effects of Todd Carney's toxic influence and are ready to rise again.
It's a crucial year for the raw and abundantly talented younger players the side oozes; for the coach, who needs a successful season to keep his job; and for the captain, who remains unsigned.
Anasta has kept silent on the issue, probably because of the adverse headlines this time a year ago that suggested he was being squeezed out of the club and he was headed to North Queensland.
"I haven't looked elsewhere and I haven't spoken to anyone else," Anasta says of his contract negotiations. "I love the place and I don't want to be anywhere else. I didn't want any disruptions or any speculation about it because I wanted to nail my pre-season.
"I've kept in contact with the club, so hopefully we can sort something out for next year in the next couple of weeks. I don't know. I'll just keep meeting with them on a daily basis."
When the Roosters signed Maloney late last year for 2013, they tried as hard as possible to force the Warriors into allowing him to come a season early.
Play Kennards Hire NRL Tipping 2012
The Warriors, who had already let coach Ivan Cleary depart early, weren't forthcoming.
Anasta says he would stand aside for Maloney in a "heartbeat" if it was the best thing for the side - but he is not meekly giving back the No.6 jumper that has been given to him since Carney's departure.
"I am loving being back at six," he says. "It's been handed to me because we've lost our six. I haven't really earned the right to play five-eighth. But I've done it before, I feel I've done a good job there and I did a good job there when I played there last year. I played the one game against Souths [last year] because Todd was out injured and we won. In the last four games when I played there, we won every time.
"This season, I've lost five kilos and I'm feeling really fit. I want to be around the action and trying to be the best leader I can be closer to the ball.
"Because we've got so much talent and so much ability, for me it's about getting the most out of our guys and playing smart."
Anasta also believes his move back to the halves can enable halfback Mitchell Pearce to soar like never before.
"I'd love to see Pearcey go to another level, and I want to help him do that this year," he says. "For me, it's about him taking control and leading the team in that department."
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