Rising Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin has made an impassioned plea for Stefano Utoikamanu to stay at the club, adamant he and other young guns are desperate to turn the joint-venture around.
Galvin used Sunday's 48-24 flogging of Canberra to put to bed any questions over his future, adamant his performance showed he was committed to the Tigers.
Just weeks after urgent meetings between Tigers officials and the young prodigy, Galvin is clear that he wants to see out the final two years of his deal with the club.
And he hopes Utoikamanu takes a similar path.
The forward is essentially a free agent, given the only remaining clause that can activate his Tigers deal for next year is if the 16th-placed club make the top eight.
The Tigers have tabled a five-year deal to the prop worth close to $4 million, but it is expected he will command significant interest elsewhere in a barren forwards market.
But Galvin is doing his best to keep the 24-year-old at the club, with the four local teenagers in Sunday's Campbelltown win an advertisement of the Tigers' future.
"We muck around, I tell him 'just stay here, just stay for a couple more years' and I think we can turn this club around," Galvin said.
"We want him here. As long as I'm here, I want him here with me. One hundred per cent we're trying to get in his ear to stay. He's a massive part of this team.
"Hopefully (I've convinced him). I don't want to be on the other side marking him. I'm already in the wrestle room with him and I get a bit scared."
Only aged 18 himself, Galvin said he had endured a tough fortnight as questions swirled around his commitment to the club.
The local junior attempted to stay off social media, but still wore comments from fans in the street around his loyalty.
"Obviously it hurts," Galvin said.
"I don't want to let people down or let the club down that gave me my opportunity.
"It was a rough two weeks, but it was good to get that (win against Canberra) and show people that I want to change this club.
"And also show them that I'm going to be at this club for the next two years."
Galvin said the questions over his future had allowed he and his management to clear the air with the Tigers on what was best for his career.
The five-eighth missed last week against North Queensland while resting a hand injury, before bagging his first two NRL tries against the Raiders.
"They were really good about and they said they were going to help me and try to get me to be the best player I can be," Galvin said.
"I just want to keep winning and enjoy my footy."
