NRL: Tui Lolohea determined to remain at Warriors

Versatile Warriors youngster Tui Lolohea is committed to staying in Auckland next season. Photo / Photosport.

Young gun Tui Lolohea has dismissed rumours he was looking to exit the Warriors and reiterated his desire to stay and compete for a place in new coach Stephen Kearney's side.

Lolohea's future in Auckland has been the subject of speculation since June when he battled for a starting position and was shuffled between fullback and wing while also spending time on the bench under former Warriors coach Andrew McFadden.

Despite insisting he wanted to stay at the club, suggestions he was unhappy again surfaced in September in the wake of the Warriors signing former Kiwis five-eighth Kieran Foran.

The rumour mill then went into overdrive the following week when the 21-year-old shared a cryptic post on social media during a visit to the Brisbane Broncos headquarters.

Kearney confirmed last month that Lolohea remains a firm part of his plans for next season and the former Tongan and New Zealand international has once more declared he wants to stay at the Warriors.

"I'll definitely for sure be at the Warriors next year," Lolohea told Newshub.

"I know there's been a lot of talk about me in the media but I'm looking forward to staying here and learning off some of the people at the club.

"I just want to let my football do the talking when the chance comes around and just prove people wrong."

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle has previously stated that Foran's arrival at Mt Smart could be a "real positive" for Lolohea, who has made no secret of his desire to find a long-term home in the halves.

Despite being potential rivals to wear the number six jersey alongside halfback Shaun Johnson, the Maris Saints junior has established a positive relationship with Foran since the former Manly and Parramatta playmaker joined the club prior to the start of preseason training.

"He's been pretty good, he's still recovering from an injury but I talk to him quite a bit, we love to have a joke," said Lolohea.

"We haven't really talked footy but we're always joking around and I think that's a good start for us."

Lolohea confirmed the wider NRL squad had been working hard over the past month and preparing well for next year's campaign under Kearney's watchful eye.

"[Kearney] has been pretty tough on the boys and it's been good for us if we want to go a long way.

"I think we're heading in the right direction."