Darius Boyd has provided St George Illawarra fans with hope he could remain in the red and white beyond 2011 with the star fullback revealing he has already agreed to a contract extension with the NRL premiers.

Boyd negotiated an upgraded three-year deal with the Dragons at the start of the year, but his future is by no means certain with the contract containing a clause allowing him to leave the club should coach Wayne Bennett exit.

With Bennett having agreed to join Newcastle on a four-year deal from 2012, it was assumed the Dragons had given up any hope of retaining the Queensland and Australian representative.

Boyd followed Bennett from the Broncos to the Dragons, and it was believed he would either follow his longtime mentor to the Knights or return to Queensland with either Brisbane or Gold Coast.

But Boyd claimed extending his stay in Wollongong remained a realistic option.

"I did that (re-signed) at the start of the year, they offered me a contract going forward as well for the next few years," Boyd told AAP.

Asked if the extension with the Dragons represented something of a fallback option if other deals fell through, Boyd said:

"Definitely not ... it's definitely an option still to stay.

"They've been a great club to me for two-and-a-half to three years now. A lot of the boys have been great, I love the area, I've really enjoyed my time. Either way, if I decide to leave it's going to be a hard decision."

Boyd's revelation represents a double bonus for Dragons fans, for even if he doesn't stay at the club his departure would leave plenty of room under the salary cap.

The Dragons were rumoured to be in the hunt for Manly whizkid Will Hopoate as a replacement for Boyd at fullback, but Hopoate stunned everyone by electing to undertake a two-year Mormon mission.

It is believed Boyd would have returned to the Broncos had Bennett agreed to go back to the club he built, but it is understood his desire to relocate to Newcastle is not as strong.

Boyd admitted parting company with Bennett would be difficult, but if the situation did arise, he hoped the two could maintain their bond.

"I'd hope so," Boyd said.

"... if that was the situation I'd try to keep in contact and have a chat to him every now and then.

"He's really someone I can look to for some guidance in football and in terms of life as well.

"I owe him a lot in both aspects."

Asked when he would make a decision on his whereabouts beyond 2011, Boyd said:

"It's something I want to get (finalised) pretty soon and hopefully I can organise all that in the coming weeks."

paging Ian Schubert, ffs 

amazing then how the club has never once been caught / fined 

look how much talent the club has offloaded in recent years to stay 'legit' according to cap - more than enough to fill a state of origin team.

Brisbane seems to get thinner and thinner every season yet claims to have no room to buy any marquee players. 

If they roll out the same bullshit line again for 2012 (sans Lockyer, sans Folau, sans K.Hunt) and run with Corey Norman at five eighth I'll fcuking puke 

The Knights have signed just 3 players and yet everyone is running around carrying on like they're rorting the cap.

 

They have money spare in the cap, and have had since the Wicks / Houston debacle and the realse of Ben Cross.

 

Patterson is gone, Taufua is gone, Henry is gone, Kaufusi has been told to go, albeit he is digging in his heals. Doogs will retire, Isaac will go, Lulia has already said he's gone. Wes Naiqama, Shannon McDonnell, Cameron Ciraldo, Marvin Karawana and Steve Southern are all off contract and the majority of them will not be retained.

 

Yet Newcastle sign Boyd, Snowden and Tahu and they must be rorting the cap