Shaun Stevenson will put a code-switch to the Dolphins on hold after being assured of a starting position for the Chiefs in 2023.
The 25 year-old revealed on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that the fullback had spent time with Wayne Bennett as the 72 year-old attempted to woo Stevenson into a cross-code switch for the 2023 season.
The Dolphins have been hit-and-miss on the recruitment front, losing out on several big-name targets whilst securing a number of fringe first-graders and 'over the hill' stars on their last legs.
Their two biggest names on the roster are young North Queensland Cowboys, Tom Gilbert and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Whilst Stevenson definitely considered the move, the outside back revealed he was focused on seeing out the remainder of his contract with the Chiefs, and working towards an All Blacks XV debut.
“Yeah, I had a call from Wayne,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“This is arguably the best league coach in this generation. It was obviously a bit daunting, but it was cool, just chew the fat, good to have a chat with the GOAT.
“I guess it is an option after 2023. My skillset, I feel, would suit it, in a way, and obviously playing touch and tag back in school days, it's similar to that.
“It's one of those things that quite a few boys want to give a crack, but they talk about it and never do. So never say never.”
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan was amused at the Dolphins' pursuit of their fullback, declaring Stevenson a starter for his side next season.
“Good on them... good players are always going to have opportunities to go in a different direction, it's just the nature of high performance sport... everyone outside of the Chiefs is a threat”, McMillan told Stuff.
“I've been pretty open to him that Shaun Stevenson at his best is a starter in our back three every day of the week.
“At Super Rugby level we carry larger squads and there's a lot of internal competition for places, and then when you factor in Covid and injuries – and Shaun has had his fair few – that's potentially been a factor in him not being able to get the amount of game time he would have liked in the last 12 months.
“We think that he's been playing outstanding rugby, he was great through the Māori series, he carried that form over for North Harbour, where he was pretty influential in a lot of the success Harbour had.
“The challenge is for us, and him, to get that level of consistency, which he's shown over the last three or four months, and transfer that into his Super Rugby.”
Bennett will return back to the drawing board as the newfound club clammers to secure at least one more marquee signing before their maiden 2023 season.
