SAINTS and England hooker James Roby says just because he has turned down a bid from Sydney’s Parramatta Eels that does not necessarily mean he would reject all overtures from the NRL.

The dynamic 27-year-old, who after wearing the red vee for ten seasons is about to embark on a testimonial, turned down a bid to join the Eels for the 2015 season.

Roby has one further season to run on his deal at Saints and the club will be doing all they can to keep him and stop him following his former Blackbrook Royals teammate James Graham Down Under.

Roby, who is currently sidelined with a second long-term foot injury of the campaign, said: “I’d like to see myself staying at Saints but the way the salary cap is in Australia now I have to consider family reasons too.

“Also I am getting on a bit in rugby terms now and am towards the back end of my career.”

There were a few sighs of relief when the story emerged in the Australian press that Roby had knocked back the offer from Parramatta, for whom Wigan and England forwards Gareth Hock and Lee Mossop will be playing next term.

But Roby revealed: “Parramatta approached me but I could not commit to the deadline because it would have meant not listening to any other offers.

“I don’t know what I am going to do with my next contract – but I enjoy myself at Saints. It is my dream job really.”

Saints coach Nathan Brown had already indicated that the club would be moving heaven and earth to retain their prize asset and the best number nine in the competition.

Meanwhile Roby expects to recover a week earlier with this foot than he did with the identical injury on his other limb and envisages returning for the play-offs.

“It is not painful, I have had the cast off and it is now in a boot.

“At least I know what to expect and anticipate being ready a week earlier than the last one hopefully back mid September which is around first week of the play offs,” he said.