Jacob Saifiti's strong connection to his brother and desire to be a part of the club's resurgence under coach Adam O'Brien were among the deciding factors in his decision to turn his back on potential big money offers from rival NRL clubs to remain with the Knights for the next two seasons.
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The club will end speculation about Saifiti's future on Wednesday when it's officially announced he will remain in the red and blue alongside his twin Daniel until the end of the 2022.
The Newcastle Herald understands the deal is worth considerably less than what he could have earned elsewhere.
The Bulldogs and St George Illawarra were among a number of rival clubs keen to talk to the Knights prop but incredibly, Saifiti was so committed to staying in Newcastle, he told his manager he didn't want to know how much money was on offer elsewhere.
"My manager would call me every now and again to tell me that this club was interested and that club was interested and I just told him I don't want to know about the figures," he told the Newcastle Herald.
"To be honest, no amount of money was going to get me away - at least next year anyway. I was always staying for at least one more year.
"It wasn't about the money and I didn't want the Knights to think I was out there in the marketplace.
"I wanted it to go as smoothly as possible and didn't want it to get tossed around in the media."
Saifiti says he has no idea how much money he has sacrificed to stay loyal to the club and keep playing alongside his brother.
"I don't know what money I could have got. I can only guess but I'd rather not know to be honest," he said.
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"My new deal is nothing to be sad about. Obviously, I would have been happy with a bit more money but I fully understand the position the club's in with the salary cap and stuff like that.
"That was explained to me and I know where they are coming from in that regard.
"Without looking too far into the future, I knew that if there is money to be made, it wasn't going to be in this contract. But I was always going to stay, it was for a matter of how long.
"Getting the second year sorted probably held things up a bit but in the end, I decided I wanted to stay for the two years and we got it done.
"It's a massive relief but at the same time, really satisfying as well knowing all the hard work I've put in has paid off and I get to stay at this great club for at least another couple of years."
Asked how significant a factor brother Daniel, who is also signed until the end of 2022, was in him staying, Saifiti said:
"Daniel was a big part of it for me. I wanted to keep playing with him but the family as a whole was a key part as well with my family and my partner's family living on the [Central] Coast close by.
"With footy, who knows where things will be in the future. Things pop up, things happen all the time so hopefully it's not but there's no guarantee Daniel and I are going to play together the rest of our careers.
"There's a possibility this could be the last two years we get to play together. So yeah, I just made sure I was here with Daniel for at least a bit longer."
Saifiti, who will start in the frontrow alongside forward leader David Klemmer in the absence of his injured brother for a second straight week against the Bulldogs on Sunday, also said he could not comprehend leaving with the club in such good shape and "on the verge of something special".
"To me, it just felt like it would have been a waste if I left after this, my fifth year," he said.
"The first couple of years at the club were pretty rough and even the last couple weren't that great so to leave when we are getting [Tyson] Frizell and Brails [Jayden Brailey] back next year, I think the next couple if years especially, I didn't want to miss out after being here through all the rubbish. Not when we are on the verge of something special.
"Another thing too, I've seen other players leave clubs for more money and it hasn't helped their careers.
"I just feel like me behind Daniel and Klem [David Klemmer] and under Ads [O'Brien] and Furnsey [David Furner], I've still got a lot to learn and this is where I believe I can develop my footy the most.
"I wanted to stay with coaches I know can help my career and alongside players I really respect and look up to."
Saifiti says the financial rewards will come if he continues to improve.
"As long as I can keep healthy and fit and keep improving, I'm confident the money side of things will come down the track," he said. "Money's not the motivating factor at the moment. The focus now is just on developing my game and my best footy in the next couple of years is going to be in Newcastle.
"It's a great club, I love it here, they gave Daniel and me our first shot so I want to repay the club as well."
Saifiti admits he is relieved to have his future settled.
"I knew it was make or break this season and it was going to either happen or it wasn't and that it was going to be up to me," he said. "I just told myself to work as hard as I possibly could and if it didn't happen and I didn't get re-signed, I would know I did everything I could.
"That was my mindset coming into this season so it's an unreal feeling to know that it has paid off for me."
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