In a Zoom interview this week, Storm second-rower Chris Lewis joked to journalists that he expected a contract upgrade after filling in at five-eighth in the win over the Raiders last round.
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"Playing at five-eighth, I assume I'll get a few million for the next deal and I'll retire after that," said the 28-year-old, who has mainly been used off the bench in his two seasons at the club.
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In 2019, the Ashford product was playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup, was teaching history at Caloundra High, did not have an NRL deal and had not played an NRL game after rebounding from a series of serious injuries.
Lewis - whose previous stint in the No 6 was for the Inverell Hawks' under-16 side - played 80 minutes against Canberra, scored a try and ran for 114m.
He did such a good job that Storm coach Craig Bellamy named him at five-eighth for the clash against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night. Melbourne's regular No 6, Cameron Munster, is injured.
Lewis - who last season became Melbourne's oldest-ever debutant - on Thursday told the Leader that he found playing five-eighth "pretty easy".
"Everyone gets rolling forward for you," he added. "[You] just sort of play your own game - get a bit of freedom to do what you want. It was good fun."
Ahead of the Raiders clash, Lewis said that Bellamy told him to "do it your way".
"You're obviously not Cameron Munster, you're not Jahrome Hughes; just do what you do well," he said of the super coach's instructions.
Lewis continued: "And what I did well was to run and be a bit bigger body. People didn't expected to see me running at five-eighth."
Lewis said he did not seek advice from Munster prior to the Canberra clash.
However, he did speak to former Roosters and Maroons star Chris Flannery, the Sunshine Coast Falcons' chief executive.
"He was a back-rower who played five-eighth as well," Lewis said, jokingly adding: "I asked him for advise. And he refused to get back to me until after the game, because he didn't want to be associated with me if I did a bad job."
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Mark Bode
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
