Nathan Cleary's future hangs in the balance, yet Andrew Johns has pinpointed the single reason he believes the Panthers maestro isn't going anywhere.
Speculation is swirling around the Penrith architect as his contract winds towards its final pages.
Rival codes are sniffing around, overseas clubs are getting their chequebooks, and the latest buzz on a potential move was reported that Hull FC have slid a jaw-dropping four-year deal across the table nearly $2 million a season.
With partner Mary Fowler calling Manchester home, the gravitational pull toward England shores grows stronger by the week.
Still, Johns isn't buying the exit hype.
"He won't leave until he owns Origin," Johns suggested on Wide World Of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.
"He's won competitions, he's won everything at club land – but I don't think Nathan will leave until he owns an Origin series.
"If you look at any of the great halves or X-factor players over the last 30 years at Origin… that's where you build your real legacy."
The clock is ticking on a key deadline. Come November 1, if no extension is signed, Cleary becomes free to open negotiationns with rivals, a window that insiders expect him to crack open.
