Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti plans to skip the Rugby League World Cup in order to repay the Knights for his "slow" start this season.
The 26-year-old, who is eligible to represent not only Australia but also Fiji and Samoa, told the Newcastle Herald this week he would bypass the tournament in England later this year.
The declaration, three months out from the start of the World Cup, the first since 2017, came ahead of the Origin decider on Wednesday.
Saifiti missed playing in this year's interstate series because a knee injury rendered him unavailable for Origin I and II. He recovered but played only one NRL game before the teams were selected for the decider, which his brother Jacob made his NSW debut in.
Prior to the injury, Saifiti was essentially a Blues incumbent, having played seven Origins in the past three years, and before this season he expressed a desire to take the next step from the Blues to the Kangaroos this year.
Asked whether he would try to mount a case in Newcastle's eight remaining games to be picked in Australia's World Cup squad, Saifiti said not only did he consider himself next to no chance of being in the mix for selection by coach Mal Meninga, but he would skip the tournament altogether.
"I'm not going to play either way," he said.
"I want to have a good preseason for the Knights.
"It's part of the reason for my slow start this year. I had a really big off-season last year and then an interrupted preseason in terms of getting injured and having COVID.
"I want to have a good off-season [and] a big, full preseason. I owe the club big time, so no matter what I'm staying in Newcastle."
At this stage, Saifiti would appear an outsider to make the 24-man Kangaroos squad but he would be a certainty to be picked for Fiji, along with his brother Jacob.
Jacob has played seven Tests for Fiji, including at the last World Cup in 2017. Daniel missed that tournament to have surgery but he had previously played three Tests. The duo have only twice played for their country of heritage together.
The brothers are also eligible to represent Samoa, but feel more aligned to Fiji.
Saifiti maintained he would love to represent Australia, but doesn't believe it will occur this year.
"I think my form hasn't been good enough," he said.
"I'm disappointed to say, but it is what it is.
"Certainly in the future, I will always put Australia first.
"But I'm just focused on finishing the year well with."
Despite essentially ruling himself out, Saifiti pushed teammate David Klemmer's chances for Australia.
The 19-Test prop, who Knights coach Adam O'Brien labelled the club's best player ahead of Origin, has not played for NSW since 2019.
But that doesn't necessarily mean he won't be in the mix for the Kangaroos, who he played for in their most recent Test in late 2019.
"Back to his best," Saifiti said of Klemmer. "Him and Dom [Young], neck and neck our best players this year. Mal knows what he brings and he is so fit at the moment, and so determined. The only thing against him would be our form as a club, but other than that I don't see why he wouldn't be getting a look."
Klemmer revealed last month he had been approached to play for Scotland at the World Cup. The 28-year-old was non-committal about that offer, but said this week he would "love to" represent Australia again.
"If I've ever got the chance to do that with Mal again, I'd never back it down," he said.
"If my form warranted selection, I'd love to play."
Jacob Saifiti is also likely to have caught Meninga's eye with his stellar performance for the Blues in Brisbane.
Somewhat clouding who might feature for Australia is Origin props Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo and Payne Haas' eligibility for Samoa.
