Penrith centre Stephen Crichton has opened up over his impending move to Belmore, revealing neither money or a positional switch were a driving factor in the movie.
Crichton last month inked a four-year deal with the Bulldogs starting in 2024, a lucrative deal that will see the Samoan international make a permanent switch to fullback at the club.
The 22-year-old is only entering his fourth season in the NRL, but already possesses one of the most impressive resumes in the NRL.
The back-to-back premiership winner has played State of Origin and kicked Samoa into their first-ever World Cup final, as well as becoming the first player since Brett Kenny nearly four decades ago to score in three consecutive grand finals.
Crichton took the famous intercept that handed Penrith the 2021 decider, before scoring off the same play in both the World Cup semi-final, and the campaign's last match a week later.
The centre has now revealed how difficult it was to leave the club that debuted him, as well as his best mates Jarome Luai and Brian To'o.
โIt definitely was a difficult decision,โ Crichton told The Daily Telegraph.
โI have been a Penrith junior and I grew up coming through the ranks with the boys - a couple of them are my best mates.
โIt was the hardest decision I have ever made with my career. It was definitely hard just knowing that my time at Penrith will be coming to an end.
โI get emotional every time I think about it being my last year. Every time I wear the Penrith jersey, I am going to leave it in a better place and play my hardest like it is my last game.
โI won't take for granted the times I get to put this beautiful jersey on.โ
Early suggestions were that Crichton was joining the Kennel not only for the rich contract, rumoured to be just over $800,000 per season, as well as the chance to play fullback.
There's zero chance Crichton dons the No. 1 at Penrith full-time with Clive Churchill medallist Dylan Edwards, however Cricthon insists neither were key in his decision.
โI just want to make it clear it was nothing to do with money, it was nothing to do with position,โ Crichton said.
โI kind of never wanted to leave Penrith. My only option I wanted was to stay no matter what happened. I got back from my time at the World Cup and was looking for an answer.
โI had to go to Samoa and wanted to get it done, but just couldn't get an answer.
โSo once I got my head around that I couldn't stay with Penrith, I spoke to a few people I trust, then I made a decision to move on.
โThe opportunity at the Bulldogs came up and just looking at the club, that is where my decision went. My agent had said there were other clubs talking to him but I had told him if I wasn't staying that I wanted to go with Ciro.
โI looked at the them and saw they were going the right way as well. That kind of persuaded me. Having Cam Ciraldo there, having worked with him in the first five years of my career, he can get the best out of me on the field and off the field as well.โ
Crichton has won five of his six NRL games at fullback, however endured a shocker in the World Club Challenge at the back, making a number of errors in key moments during the 13-12 loss to St Helens.
While it was hard for the outside back to hit the exit doors, it was even harder to tell his mates.
โTo tell those boys, it was pretty hard. I met Jarome and Bizza (To'o) probably when I hit under 20s. Ever since then they have been close mates," he said.
โSpencer has been with me ever since the start - same school, started the same time.
โI kept my closest mates in the loop. When I made my decision and told them - he (Leniu) was happy for me.
โIn this short career of rugby league you have to make the most of it and make decisions that will help me and my future and my family.โ
Crichton will make the leap after the conclusion of this season, and could yet be joined by Leniu, with rumours circulating that Canterbury are eager to snare the bench prop as Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris clog his path to a starting spot.
After playing three consecutive grand finals and winning the last two, his goal in his last season at Penrith is clear.
โI have more important things to worry about this year - that is the Panthers and winning another premiership for the club.
โI don't want to worry about the future, I want to stay present, do my job and play my hardest for Penrith right now."
