Super League star Mikey Lewis has revealed his desire and intentions to play in the NRL after reports emerged that several clubs were reportedly eyeing his services.
Named the best player in the Super League last season, which saw him awarded the Man of Steel award - the equivalent of the NRL's Dally M medal - Lewis is one of the best players in rugby league who is not playing in the NRL.
Only 23, the playmaker has played over 100 matches for the Hull Kingston Rovers and has found career-best form over the past couple of seasons, which has seen him represent England on five different occasions.
After reports emerged last week that NRL teams were eyeing the 2024 Man of Steel winner, Lewis confirmed on Sky Sports' The Bench his desire to play in the NRL in the future.
However, it is unlikely to occur in the near future with the playmaker currently under contract with the Hull Kingston Rovers until at least the end of the 2028 season.
โMy dream has always been to go over to the other side, Australia," he said.
"It's been my dream since I was a young kid to go and play on the other side of the world, and when the time will come, it will come.
"I'm not putting any pressure on it, I love playing for this club. It's given me so much on the field and so much off it as well.
"I don't see myself playing for any other club in Super League."
Continuing to grow and still yet to reach his true potential, he is coming off a Grand Final appearance and his current coach admits that his dream to play in the NRL haven't come as a surprise to him.
"When I first came over, (I was) getting to know individuals, finding out where they've come from and what they want to achieve in the game and where they want to go," Lewis' current coach at Hull Kingston Rovers, Willie Peters, said.
"Mikey said to me that he wants to go to the NRL. My job, and our job as staff, is to develop him and grow him and help him achieve those dreams.
"Do we want Mikey to leave? Absolutely not. But if it's something Mikey wants to look at down the track, then that's up to him, his management and the club.
"I'm very close with Mikey, I know exactly where he's at with it all. He's very upfront with it, we have good conversations in and around it.
"We'll look at it if and when the time comes. I certainly want to develop Mikey to be the best player he can."
