North Queensland halfback Robert Lui snubs big money offers for loyalty

ROBERT Lui says the faith shown in him by the Cowboys during some of his toughest times means the club will always have his loyalty.

The North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm from 1300 Smiles Stadium. Cowboys Robert Lui. Picture: Zak Simmonds

ROBERT Lui says the faith shown in him by the North Queensland Cowboys during some of his toughest times means the club will always have his loyalty.

For the second time in two years, Lui has turned his back on bigger money contracts from rival NRL clubs to stay in his hometown.

He’s signed a one-year extension that will keep him at the Cowboys until the end of 2015 to stay closer to family build on the 39 games he’s played for the North Queenslanders.

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The Townsville-raised playmaker pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges in a Sydney court in 2012 and was suspended by the NRL for the remainder of the season, but the Cowboys stuck by him even though he couldn’t play and he returned to the first grade squad last year.

Cowboys half Robert Lui is tackled.

Lui said the club’s faith in him meant he was eager to stay in the North despite seriously considering offers from other teams.

“I’ve always got a soft heart for the Cowboys and what they did for me and they’re everything for me,” he said.

“They’re my heart and my family is here and I’ve got one year but that’s next year.

“I’ve still got finals to go.”

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The five-eighth was off contract at the end of this season but a renewed focus off the field, in which he dropped some weight and consistency in his performances saw him rewarded with the new deal.

Robert Lui during a Cowboys training session.

He said the contract was now a big weight off his shoulders and he hoped to switch his focus back to finals football.

“It was just good to get a deal done and I’ve really enjoyed the last eight or nine weeks I’ve been playing,” Lui said.

“I just want to go further and I think we’ve got a lot to show our whole team.

“We’ve got a few guys leaving and a few young guys have stepped up and I reckon we can make a push.”

Lui said he hoped to find some refinement down his right edge defence this week against Manly after conceding a pair of tries to Sharks winger Sosaia Feki.

“We’ll go through video and I’m a bit disappointed, two tries down my right edge,” he said.

“We’ve got to have a chat to the boys down our edge and regroup for Manly.”