Lloyd Perrett admits he will be playing for his NRL future in Manly's semi-final against South Sydney with the prop still off contract at the end of the year.
Now in his sixth year of NRL, Perrett has battled health problems in recent years and has only made his return to first grade in recent weeks.
The 24-year-old had assumed his season was over when the Sea Eagles missed reserve grade finals three weeks ago, before being called up as part of Manly's injury crisis and is set to feature in their semi-final clash with Souths on Friday.
It has given him a late reprieve in 2019, after he'd expected to round the season out in opposed sessions and desperately trying to get his body back to its best.
Asked if he felt like he was playing for a contract, Perrett said: "Yeah, because I literally am. I'm off contract.
"But I just want to win. I know if I win and I play good and do my job in the team and play my natural game a contract will come.
"The wins will come, a grand final will come. It's just about me doing my job."
Perrett has endured two seasons from hell off the field.
His battles became well known in the 2018 pre-season when he suffered a seizure and heat stroke, as he admitted he thought he could have died.
It kicked off a long lengthy run of issues, which saw him routinely getting blood, kidney and liver checks.
"It was close to a point where they were telling me I was going to have to get on hormone replacement," Perrett said.
"And I was thinking - do I have to retire?
"Because I know I'm not allowed to do that while I am playing footy.
"But thankfully everything came right."
Perrett though, believes he has learned from both experience and his stay in reserve grade.
He has got through a nice amount of work for Manly in his two games back at the top level, as part of a group of players who have risen to finals football.
And it's with that confidence Perrett said he "definitely" still had plenty to offer in the NRL after shifting from under Des Hasler at Canterbury in 2017 to Manly.
"I think the only problem at the moment is I'm not in good shape," he admitted.
"I think one good pre-season will fix that. I haven't had a good pre-season in two years.
"But I think I am very talented as a footballer, I know that myself. It's just my body that I have to get right."
Australian Associated Press
