Joseph Manu has admitted the desire to test himself in a new sport and environment was a primary motivator for him to leave the Sydney Roosters for rugby union.
The 28-year-old, who announced in April his departure from the Roosters at the end of this season, told Sporting News' Ebbs and Flows podcast believes he has achieved all he can at the Tricolours and feels the time is right to try his hand at rugby union, the sport he played as a youngster.
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"Just the challenge, something new," Manu said when asked on his main reason for leaving the NRL.
"I feel like I've been at the Roosters for a while now and I [can't really do much more]. For myself, I just enjoy being challenged - I'm not saying that I haven't been challenged here, it's tough being a Rooster - but I think the challenge of something new, something different excites me.
"A new country, bit of travelling with the family and just enjoying life too, and then trying to achieve something different."
It's hard to argue with that, after all Manu was part of the Roosters side that won back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019, and he has played 174 games for the Bondi boys since coming through the junior system in the mid 2010s.
He is undoubtedly an elite centre in the game, but one of his main drawcards is his versatility, with the New Zealand-international able to play across the backline at wing and fullback, as well as having spells with the Roosters as their five-eighth.
He is having a swansong season to remember, scoring 10 tries in 16 games to date, having missed a few weeks in July due to a hand injury, as the Roosters are in prime position to secure a top four spot.
Manu credits the system at the club and the coaching for Trent Robinson for allowing him to thrive in an free-flowing attacking structure.
"With Robbo, I've sort of been able to play that sort of style where I can be free and sort of roam around a bit," Manu said.
"It made it more enjoyable for myself, I feel if I was just their stock standard centre where I just play in my position and do my role, I probably would be bored. But I think the system and the players that we have at the club now, I feel like they've really allowed me to express myself on the the field, so I enjoy it."
Given his ability and achievements in the game at club and international level, Manu would have had many admirers within the NRL who would have loved to have him on their team, but Manu says his loyalty to the Roosters meant it was never a realistic possibility.
"I never took a meeting [with another NRL club]," he said, "obviously there was a lot of talk with the other clubs and everyone [was asking].
"I think the challenge of moving to a new club, playing fullback and trying to take another club [to glory] would be pretty cool, but I just didn't see myself leaving the Roosters [and playing for another NRL club].
"The way they've treated me, I just see myself as a Rooster for life sort of thing, and I enjoy being around the boys. I just couldn't really see myself in another jersey in the NRL."
Manu's rugby union adventure will begin initially in Japan after signing a one-year deal with Toyota Verblitz, where he will be surrounded by All Blacks legends.
Steve Hansen, who guided the All Blacks to World Cup glory in 2015, is currently serving as the Director of Rugby, and former All Blacks coach Ian Foster will be joining as coach next season.
All Blacks centurion Aaron Smith is also currently at the club, and Manu says he had conversations with him and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, another NRL player who crossed codes, before making his decision to make the switch himself.
"I had a few conversations with him [Aaron Smith] and he seems like a good dude," Manu said.
"I've spoken to a few of the All Black boys, they have been real nice. I spoke to [Roger Tuivasa Sheck] a bit... he gave me a few things that he enjoyed and a few things that he didn't enjoy. It was good to hear from someone that's made the switch."
Despite his journey beginning in Japan, Manu feels he wants to use it as a launchpad for his career and as a time to get to grips with a game he hasn't played with since his childhood,
"I don't think I'll stay there, I just want to go over there and learn the game again because I have been in rugby league since I came [to Australia]," Manu said.
"I just want to go there and learn my craft in rugby, I've heard they're pretty skillful over in Japan and it's a good competition... I'm just trying to see how I can improve my game pretty quickly.
"I'm not too sure where I'll end up after that, but that's just a first step for me."
