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FATTER contract offers to play in Melbourne or Perth would not buy the tight "whatever it takes" teamwork that rising hooker James Hanson has re-signed for at the Reds.
Hanson yesterday ended the guessing game on his future by finalising a new one-year deal.
The high workrate forward believes the Reds' winning environment is the best way to advance his rugby while he will keep pursuing opportunities in the business sector and studies at the University of Queensland.
Hanson, 23, knows the magnitude of the Reds beating NSW on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium - even before dreaming of the four-try bonus point that may be necessary to sneak into the Super Rugby playoffs.
"Any time you play the Waratahs for a finals spot or otherwise, it's full-on and winning is first and foremost," said Hanson, a product of the Reds' new golden period since 2010. "The Highlanders were hammering our tryline for the final 10 minutes last Friday night and any hole for a try might have meant our season over.
"Instead, we kept them out with that whatever-it-takes attitude that shows the tightness of this team."
"Chibba" Hanson earned his nickname from his old Nudgee Junior College teacher Paul Smith, who likened him to a squat little sumo puppet in a Japanese television show. He is now 105kg of compact power.
"People ask me why would you re-sign while (Wallaby hooker) Saia Faingaa is at the Reds?" Hanson said.
"It would have been the easy way out to go elsewhere to get the No.1 job ... Saia and I both challenge each other to do better and I know, in the long run, this is the best place to improve as a footballer."
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