The banter has already started, but Wests Tigers hooker Harry Grant has no intentions of getting into a sledging match with his NRL mates at Melbourne.
The 22-year-old will face his former – and potential future – teammates at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday still without clarity on where he will be next season.
It all hinges on whether Storm skipper Cameron Smith decides to play on in 2021, but Grant is happy to bide his time knowing he has options.
“Cam’s been playing that good this year and I will probably retire before he does,” Grant said on Tuesday.
“I’ve chatted to him a little bit but not really about what he’s doing in the future, it’s more just how he’s travelling up on the Sunny Coast and if he’s got anything for my game.
“He’s done enough for the game and the club that he gets to make his decision.
“To be honest I can’t imagine a game without Cam in it next year so in that sense I do hope he plays on.”
It’s been a whirlwind season for Grant who has starred for the Tigers in a one-year swap deal that is set to end in October when Paul Momirovski returns to the Tigers.
But returning to Melbourne would put him into a log jam at the Storm with Kiwi star Brandon Smith also vying for a starting No.9 spot at the club.
It’s a baffling situation that would force three representative hookers to share the load, and in all likelihood, one to miss out on the 17 each week.
It would also put strain on the club’s salary cap and roster balance.
Brandon Smith has already indicated to Melbourne that should the skipper play on, he would be requesting a release from the final two years of his deal.
And even though Grant could make his State of Origin debut for Queensland in November, he said he is not frustrated by the lack of clarity from the Storm captain over his future.
“I’m in a pretty good position where I’ve got a contract next year going forward and I’m going to be in an NRL system,” he said.
“I’ve always got that contract down in Melbourne for another few years. I just look at the positive side of things.”
As it stands, he’s still committed to returning to Storm next season.
“At the start of the loan it was always I would come here for the loan and then head back down to Melbourne,” he said.
“That’s just he way it is at the moment.”
