Luke Brooks admits constant speculation about his NRL future weighed on him in recent years, as the Wests Tigers halfback prepares to sort out his next contract.
Brooks is the last remaining half off contract at the Tigers, after Adam Doueihi extended with the club last month and Jackson Hastings moved to Newcastle.
The 28-year-old's contract situation has so far flown under the radar, with most attention on what his close friend and former Tigers halves partner Mitch Moses does at Parramatta.
But it is likely that once Moses decides his future, Brooks will come into the spotlight.
Linked to the Knights in recent years, Brooks has had to deal with years of questions about potential mid-contract moves despite being signed to the Tigers.
"Looking back on it the past few years it probably did weigh on me a bit," Brooks said.
"Everyone asking if I was staying or going.
"But this pre-season, there was none of that. It was good. I was able to just focus on training hard and playing footy."
Brooks said he had not done anything different to handle this situation this season, and he had simply not been asked about his future by media until Thursday afternoon.
The playmaker would not go into detail on his current situation, refusing to set a timeline on when he wanted a decision made by.
"When it happens it happens. It's been good not worrying about it," Brooks said.
"I'll just leave it with my manager. I am not even thinking about that.
"It's been good not having that noise in the background."
Brooks' future does remain linked to Moses' decision.
Moses is expected to remain at Parramatta for less money, but if he does take a big-dollar offer from the Tigers then Brooks' spot would be in jeopardy unless five-eighth Doueihi is squeezed out of the halves.
Brooks said on Thursday he had not spoken to Moses recently about the decision, but insisted he and all players should take all the time required to make it.
Notably, he also claimed money would not be the Parramatta halfback's main priority.
"For him it's not about money, it's where he will be most happy playing," Brooks said.
"There is obviously a lot of pressure from the outside. But at the end of the day it's up to us.
"It's our lives, I don't really worry about what people are saying about whether I should stay or go.
"All the outside noise probably affects our family more than us. We can deal with it, but they are the ones who get upset about it."
Meanwhile, Tigers captain Apisai Koroisau said he would fit to start at hooker against Newcastle on Sunday, after being eased back via the bench in the Tigers' loss to Gold Coast.
