It was the signing news that sent the rugby league world into a spin, but James Tedesco's move to the Roosters in 2018 has had no effect on the man he's likely to replace in the No.1 jersey next year.
Current Roosters custodian, Michael Gordon, has humbly hailed Tedesco's impending arrival as a massive coup for the club despite the fact it could force him out of Bondi after just one season in red, white and blue.
Gordon has been a model of consistency since making his NRL debut back in 2006, with the 33-year-old forging stellar careers at the Panthers, Sharks and Eels before linking up with the Roosters this season.
The one-time NSW Blues winger revealed he hadn't received any contract offers for next year, and with a newly built house waiting for him in Casuarina on the state's north coast Gordon is willing to accept the fact that this could be his last season.
"It's a massive signing for the club because he's a fantastic player who's already played Origin and will probably go on to be a Test player as well. He's one of the best fullbacks going around so it was great news for the club," Gordon told NRL.com.
"His signing didn't really affect me at all. I came into this year with no thoughts of 'I need a contract'. I've got a life set up ready to go once I finish footy. It's just a matter of how long it takes me to get there and whether I go around again.
"I haven't had any offers, and if I don't get any then I'll retire a very happy man and move back home.
"I've just finished building a house up there so I'm definitely going up there, it's just a matter of if it's next year or the year after. I know where I'm going, now it's just figuring out when's best for my family."
Gordon has shown this season he is far from a spent force and would be a handy addition for a club like the Knights if they wanted a seasoned campaigner to bring some much-needed experience up to Newcastle.
The 33-year-old said he wouldn't rule out entertaining offers from rival clubs, but confirmed moving to the English Super League was no longer an option for him and his young family.
"I always wanted to go overseas, but my son has just started kindergarten and I don't really want to move him around anymore," he said.
"My plan was always going to be that the next time I moved, it would be back home and we'd settle down there. I don't want to pack things up and go to another club just for the sake of it, but that said, if something was put in front of me, I'd have to sit down with my family and weigh it all up."
Regardless of what happens in the next couple of months, this won't be Gordon's last season playing rugby league with the veteran keen to fulfil a promise he made to his mates many moons ago.
"Most of my mates that I grew up playing with are long retired, but some of the young crew that I grew up with, they just got a team back in the Northern Rivers comp last year," he said.
"I always dreamed of playing an A-Grade game for Tweed Coast Raiders but they never had a senior team when I was younger. I always promised the boys that when I went home I'd have a year with them.
"The last time I played for the Raiders was under-14s – geez that's nearly 20 years ago! They've done such a good job up there with the community, and having the Raiders back in the comp has brought the town close together again."
