ANALYSIS: Fraser McReight's decision to re-sign with Queensland and Australian rugby is a resounding vote of confidence in both SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific and the Wallabies' environment.
It's also the strongest indicator yet of who may take up the Test coaching mantle following this year's Rugby Championship.
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McReight, 26, is widely considered among the world's best openside flankers and attracted considerable interest with clubs from Japan League One and France's Top 14 among his many suitors.
Yet the Albany Park Brumbies junior has chosen to stay on Australian soil through 2028 because he believes the Reds' and Wallabies environment is the place to "become a better player".
"There were other offers and they were heavily considered," McReight told reporters on Thursday.
"For me, what's important is how I can become a better rugby player. I think that's here and why we play rugby, a lot of the time it's to play with your mates.
"A lot of my mates play here and have re-signed and I think being at home in front of my family and friends is important."
"Becoming a better rugby player" seems a simple enough reason - but it's one that signals a profound shift away from common rhetoric that overseas experience will improve an Australian prospect.
SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific is experiencing its strongest season in recent memory with a 15% increase in viewership on hand to witness record-breaking performances and McReight is now the latest in a string of first-choice Queensland Wallabies to forgo overseas temptations and sign multi-year extensions with Harry Wilson, Matt Faessler and Lukhan Salakai-Loto all committed through the home 2027 Rugby World Cup.
While testing the overseas market was once the standard practice for Test stars, there's now a concerted push for current Wallabies to stay in the ever-improving Australian system - particularly those at Ballymore.
"Wilso's one of my best mates - I've been rooming with him for 6 years and we talk about it a lot, same as Faess," McReight said.
"Whatever decision I would've made they would've been happy and known it's what's best for me and my family but it's cool we can play together and it just shows we're happy.
"Ballymore's a place of exciting footy that we all love to play at and yeah, it's just a happy place to be around. You've got a great coaching set-up, a great admin staff, the whole business is something a lot of people love to be around."
McReight's endorsement of the Reds' system is telling - as it the prioritisation of retaining clubmates Wilson, Faessler and Salakai-Loto - and it feels as though the Test coaching compass has swung firmly towards Les Kiss.
Only time will tell whether the former league winger takes up union's highest coaching office but one thing is for certain - Australian rugby is on the rise.
There's plenty of hype around Kiss' Queensland despite their loss in Christchurch but Dan McKellar's Waratahs are 3-0 and would blow the roof off their Daceyville HQ should they topple the Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Meanwhile the Force (2-2) have come along in leaps and bounds already this season and the Brumbies (2-2) under Stephen Larkham have fought valiantly across a brutal opening month.
Expect to see even more re-signings from within Australia - perhaps even a few overseas Wallabies returning home to stake their claim in during the Golden Decade.
