South Sydney Rabbitohs and Lebanon winger Josh Mansour has spoken about the challenges he faced in 2022, revealing that the struggle for playing opportunities as he reached the end of his contract proved a stressful time.
Mansour also confirmed that he'd floated the idea of a move to the Rabbitohs' fiercest rivals the Sydney Roosters with Cedars and Roosters assistant coach Matt King.
Mansour is without a deal for 2023 and only managed five NRL appearances for the Redfern club last season, making it difficult to sell himself to any potential suitors.
He's hoping a number of strong showings for Lebanon at the World Cup can put him back on the radar of teams seeking depth and experience in their outside backs as they assemble their squads for the new season.
โAt the beginning of the year I didn't have that (contract) plan โ I didn't see it coming,โ Mansour said, per Fox Sports.
โIt really shocked me, the way the year went, but I just had to swallow my pride and ride the year out. I tried to be as professional as I could and come with a good attitude to training every time.โ
The 32-year-old recently admitted he'd be open to a move to the Super League to keep his career alive, provided he can convince his family to make the big move with him โ but no matter where he ends up it's clear he'll do everything in his power to keep the dream alive.
โI'm extremely determined. I always wanted to come (to the World Cup) first and then see what happens.
โIt's a bit of a weird situation, a bit stressful. I'm not going to lie.
โMy wife is hitting me up asking what I'm going to do. I'm telling her to be patient. Whatever happens, happens.โ
Mansour admitted that he's even using the opportunity in camp to try and secure the next chapter in his rugby league story.
โI've already had a chirp into (Matt King's) ear.
โThe Roosters are a great club. If an opportunity arose, I would definitely explore it.โ
