Man of the moment Jamie Soward has revealed he almost gave the game away at the end of 2012 to play rugby union in Japan.
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Things were so tough at the Dragons under then coach Steve Price that Soward was ready to leave the country and the sport in a bid to find happiness again.
Soward was set to leave the NRL for Japanese club rugby with an opportunity to earn up to $600,000 a season. However when Todd Carney rejected an offer to join the Panthers to stick with Cronulla, Panthers boss Phil Gould immediately approached Soward with a lifeline.
"[I was] pretty close," Soward said of making the move to Japan. "I remember the day Gus [Gould] called the game the day we played the Knights at Kogarah. He was hanging around [the sheds], so I knew he wanted to see me for a reason. It wasn't an autograph. He wanted a catch-up.
"At the end of 2012 I was just about done... but it [Japan] sort of fell through at the last minute. I didn't want to leave but that was the option we were looking at. As you well know, playing is a business and you just have to go when the going is good."
The 29-year-old, now the Penrith skipper, has been the face of this year's finals series.
There was a time when you could not buy an interview with him, now he is everywhere.
The spotlight's glare only grew after he orchestrated a one-point win against reigning premiers the Roosters on Saturday night.
His former coach Wayne Bennett told Fairfax Media on Monday he had not known a more maligned player in all his years in the game, something Soward believes he contributed to himself.
"Probably because I was on the defensive with things," he said.
"I've now been encouraged to be myself and be my character. Once you get older you naturally take on that leadership role but I've actually embraced it.
"Ivan [Cleary, the Panthers coach] just wanted me to stay the same. I do carry on like a goose sometimes and I can be the class clown but that's just me. They didn't want that to change. Before it's probably had an effect on me on and off the field. I've had to change who I am around certain people.
"Out here I have a laugh at something or I say something, I just say it ... You guys [the media] run with it, they [teammates] run with it, 'Mossy' [chief executive Phil Moss] runs with it, Gus runs with it, everyone is happy."
One only had to watch Saturday's semi-final victory against the Roosters and Soward's celebration to know just how much it all means to the 2010 premiership winner.
He was high-fiving, pumping his fists, shouting to the heavens and jumping for joy.
While some people are critical of how he conducts himself, he believes passion is vital.
"A lot of people bagged me and say I carry on, make a goose of myself by yelling out," Soward said. "But that's how footy is.
"That's how much it means to me personally. That's how much it means to the coaching staff and the team. One per cent of our week is the 80 minutes you guys see on the Sunday or Saturday.
"We've got a whole week to prepare for that one thing that can change our week. It's why everyone wants to be here – to be on the big stage. It's about passion. It's about pride in what you're doing, in your performance, in the jersey."