Former NRL forward Patrick Mago is set to remain in the English Super League, despite recent reports linking him to an NRL move.
The 31-year-old who was born in Auckland progressed through the Canberra Raiders junior system more than a decade ago now and played for the Junior Kangaroos in 2013.
He captained the Raiders under-20 side, and played for Queensland under-20s in the following year, before moving to the North Queensland Cowboys at the start of 2017 where he debuted in the NRL.
He had just two appearances with the Cowboys, moving to the Brisbane Broncos at the start of 2018 for another 12 games, and then to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2020 for another 23 games.
At the end of 2021, he cut his time in the NRL short, moving to Wigan in the Super League where he has been ever since, putting together a 150-game stint.
It recently emerged that he may have been homesick and was looking for a return to the NRL, but that has now been tanked with Mago signing a new deal for the next two years, with another year as an option for the club.
It had been reported Mago had at least two interested parties in the NRL, but the Wigan mainstay is going nowhere and said it was an easy decision.
"Wigan has become my second home and I've really enjoyed my time here. The group of lads that we've got here and the coaching staff are class and I'm loving every moment," Mago revealed.
"It was a really easy decision for me. I've got my family here, and Wigan is all we know, really, and we have made a lot of friends here.
"I can't thank the Wigan fans enough, so thank you for your support. I am really happy to be staying and I can't wait to see what we can achieve together."
Coach Matt Peet, talking this week, said per All Out Rugby League that any idea of the forward returning to Australia was nonsense.
“I was a bit (surprised by the reports). Me and Paddy had a laugh about it,” Peet said.
“Nonsense. It was easy, and it was (sorted) a long time ago.
“He wanted to stay, we wanted him to stay. It was quite a straightforward conversation.”
Mago is now likely to play with Wigan to the end of his career.
