Matthew Eisenhuth is off-contract in less than a month following a successful 2022 campaign bounced between the Penrith Panthers NRL and NSW Cup side, but the forward remains confident of staying at the club in 2023.
The Panthers, who have plenty of high profile contract negotiations underway including Origin players Brian To'o and Liam Martin, Eisenhuth has been a consistent performer during his time at the club.
He also has the advantage of not being a player likely to stretch the salary cap.
While the 30-year-old former Tiger, who crossed the 100-game barrier this season at NRL level with 16 games, and also played in the NSW Cup grand final, is the oldest player who featured in the top grade for Penrith this season, his willingness in the middle third didn't go unnoticed.
Speaking to AAP, Eisenhuth said talks are ongoing with the club over his future.
"It's in talks at the moment. I'm pretty confident that I'll be hanging around," Eisenhuth told AAP.
"I love being at this club, I love the group of players, I love the coaching staff.
"Why would you want to leave a club that's going so well at all levels?"
There has been little in the way of speculation over other clubs being interested in the veteran, who was mainly used as an injury replacement in the middle third for the Panthers, with all of James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Isaah Yeo, Spencer Leniu and Scott Sorensen ahead of him.
Despite that, he wound up ahead of J'maine Hopgood in the pecking order, managing to play in plenty of first grade games.
Eisenhuth said that even if his role wasn't a permanent first grade player - and that likely looks to be the case again heading into 2023 - he is content being at the club.
"Not everyone can play when there's so much talent around," he said.
"Coming into next year, I'll be doing everything I can to try and be in that 17 and play as many first-grade games as I can.
"But if it's the same as this year, whenever I'm called upon I'll do my job.
"If that's my role for the club and the squad, then I'm content."
