Playmaker Blake Green has revealed his true intentions for leaving the NZ Warriors and signing for the Newcastle Knights for the remainder of the season.
On Saturday, Green made his Knights debut as they beat the Wests Tigers 44-4 in Newcastle to move up to sixth on the ladder.
Green only had one training session for the Knights after a messy departure from the Warriors which infuriated interim coach Todd Payten.
On Wednesday, Payten said he was "disappointed" with how Green's departure transpired and said the 33-year-old "didn't want to be here".
But Green has hit back and said the reason why he left was that he was told he will likely get dropped at the backend of the season, to give Chanel Harris-Tavita game time in the halves, as the club looks ahead to 2021.
Last month, Green admitted he was 'irritated' after club owner Mark Robinson revealed the playmaker was surplus to requirements beyond this season.
"It is what it is," Green told Fox Sports after the Knights' win over the Tigers.
"Of course he's probably going to be disappointed; I was his main playmaker there for the last couple of years.
"But the club indicated to me that I wasn't going to be playing the back end of the year if they weren't a chance in the finals, so I could have been playing two more games then watching for the rest of the year, so an opportunity came up and I've jumped at it.
"It made the decision easy for me then.
"[It was an] emotional one, because I tipped everything I had into the club, but I just wanted to play some footy, and I had a chance here, and I'm very grateful to the Knights for giving it to me."
Newcastle is Green's seventh NRL club and his three-year stay at the Warriors is the longest stint he's had at a club.
Even though things ended badly, Green did enjoy his time representing the Warriors.
"I had a tremendous time at the Warriors for three years; I really enjoyed that.
"This is just the next chapter for me, and I'll do the best I can in the last eight rounds and see where it takes me."
Green's contract expires at the end of the season and he hopes to earn a new one with guaranteed game time at the Knights.
He will get the chance to face his former teammates later this month when the Warriors host the Knights on August 29.
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