He didn't want to leave Billinge for Bondi. Easy decision.

How do you know?

Excellent news. My only concern is that he has taken some hammer and is starting to pick up fairly serious injuries. We have to start using him more wisely if he is to survive for five years

Not sure I agree with that. The injuries last year were freak accidents, it was just pure coincidence he had 2 injuries of the same nature in one season. Nothing to do with him taking some hammer.

Dont forget the rule that is set come into place that home grown talents only have 100k count towards the salary cap. Roby may have just signed a nice juicy deal and if so i expect Graham to follow after next year

I think it only comes into effect from 2015, so whatever was agreed counts on the cap for next year and then as 100k from then onwards. I take this as an admission our recruitment for this year is done, we gave the money we were using to try and sign another player to sign roby up long term knowing it will be freed up again in the new year (and I imagine will go toward extending lomax, swift jones et al)

Wasn't it rumoured that laffranchi was on more than roby? If so replacing laffranchi with graham next year could actually free up cap space

Brilliant news

This is absolutely fantastic news! He's our best player and to tie him down for (basically) the rest of his career is great to hear.

I'm sick of this 'lack of ambition' tag that has been put upon him in this thread and from other teams fan's on twitter etc. If he doesn't want to move to the other side of the world, away from all his family and friends, then that's not a problem. The NRL isn't everything and a player shouldn't be judged on whether he moves there.

I'm sure saddened would have moaned if Roby moved to the NRL, so either way we couldn't win!

Next one for me is Lomax. If he has an injury free year in 2014, he should be tied down for 5+ years. We can continue to build a side around Lomax and Roby.

Well I don't blame him. Do you?

He doesn't have to. Technically he could quit professional sport and enroll as a Bigfoot researcher in the US if he wanted to.

That's amazing.
I've just been watching Harry & The Henderson's (Harry aka Bigfoot) 1987 with the grandkids.

Double checked and Robes isn't in it.

Great for Robes and Great for Saints.

And if he changes his mind and signs for an NRL club Saints will be in for a nice fat fee. Five year deals can earn a club a lot of money should a player decide to leave as we found out at Wigan. Joel T left for £240k and we bought three players, Taylor, Green & Smith with plenty change left over
I do think Roby will now see out his contract and career at Saints.

Bet it was an easy decision for Robes, when he realised he will have one of the best packs around him'
I use to work with his old fella, Robes wanted to play for Saints since he was 12 years old and his mindset has never changed since, he has picked up more experience from the World cup.........advantage to Saints. Well done McManus to get him to sign on a long contract.