Tony Abbott wanted Matt Adamson, not Jaymes Diaz, for Greenway

Former rugby league star Matt Adamson has revealed Liberal leader Tony Abbott wanted him, not Jaymes Diaz, to be the party's candidate for Greenway.

Former rugby league star Matt Adamson has revealed Liberal leader Tony Abbott wanted him, not Jaymes Diaz, to be the party's candidate for Greenway.

The Palmer United Party senate hopeful was in Blacktown on Wednesday, lending support to his party's Greenway candidate Jodie Wootton.

Mr Adamson opened up on his meeting with Mr Abbott at his Balmain cafe last November, when the opposition leader asked him to contest Greenway for the Liberal Party.

Mr Adamson declined the request.

"I felt it was unfair on the electorate. Even though I played my footy out here I didn't live here," he said.

"So out of respect and honour to the people of western Sydney it was wrong - I said no and that is how it was left."

The revelation lends strong support to suggestions Mr Abbott wanted to give Mr Diaz the boot following his narrow loss to Labor's Michelle Rowland in the 2010 federal election.

Mr Diaz is still favoured to win the seat on Saturday, despite media reports emerging that the Liberal party are prepared to axe him over his questionable campaign performance.

READ MORE: 'Six-point' Jaymes Diaz maintains media blackout

Mr Adamson said Mrs Wootton was a perfect candidate for Greenway and claimed Diaz was doing wrong by the people of his electorate by not being a "man of action''.

"(Diaz) has let (his electorate) down because this is about standing up and being accountable to your electorate and that's the most important thing,'' he said.

"(Wootton) is a project community based candidate and that's for places like Blacktown what you need.

"I'm honest, I've only known Jodie for about eight weeks but what I love about her is that she is approachable and that's what you want.

"People got to know in the local electorate that they can walk into her office, ring her up and she will act on it, even if it's the smallest thing.''