When Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad asked to go home to be closer to his two sons, Ricky Stuart didn't hesitate.
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The Canberra Raiders coach couldn't stand in the way of his fullback being with his boys.
Nicoll-Klokstad will link up with the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the NRL season after four years in lime green.
There's been talk the 26-year-old could be on the move for a few weeks after he posted a message on social media that it would be the last year would be away for his son's birthday.
Now that will come to fruition after he told his teammates on Tuesday.
Nicoll-Klokstad established himself as an NRL fullback after switching to the Green Machine at the start of the 2019 season.
"When they asked me from a welfare point of view he was going to go home and be closer to his children I didn't hesitate," Stuart told The Canberra Times.
"I know how hard it's been for Charnze. He asked for five weeks off pre-Christmas for his off-season so he could be closer to his children.
"I know how hard it's been for him. I don't want to lose Charnze, but it's a no-brainer in regards to his welfare in being closer to his children at this stage of their lives.
"There's no way I would stand in the way of that."
Meanwhile, the NRL have demoted the referee at the centre of the Canberra Raiders' controversial loss to St George Illawarra on Sunday.
Instead of wielding the whistle, Peter Gough will be one of the touch judges for the Cronulla-Melbourne Storm match at Shark Park on Thursday night.
The news comes as the Raiders close in on re-signing young hooker Zac Woolford, with a two-year deal expected to be finalised as soon as this week.
NRL football boss Graham Annesley admitted the Green Machine had once again been dudded by the officials in charge of the 12-10 loss in terrible conditions at Wollongong.
He said Dragons halfback Ben Hunt should've been not only penalised for three separate incidents in the final six seconds of the game - which would've given Canberra the chance to level the score from directly in front of the goal posts - but also sent to the sin bin for all three as well.
That would've given the Raiders a one-man advantage in extra-time too, but the loss has left them four points adrift of the top eight.
Now the NRL have gone one step further by demoting Gough from the whistle to the flag.
Fellow referee Gerard Sutton has also been banished to the Bunker for his mistakes in the Sydney Roosters' 26-18 loss to the Penrith Panthers.
The Raiders expect to finalise Woolford's re-signing - potentially this week.
It's a great story for the Green Machine, bringing the famous Woolford name back to lime green for the next couple of years.
Woolford's father Simon played 234 games for the Raiders and now he's got a chance to forge his own career in Canberra - after it appeared to be over as he languished playing NSW Cup without an NRL contract.
But Josh Hodgson's season-ending knee injury brought him back to the city where he was born.
After just three games playing NSW Cup, he's established himself as the Green Machine's starting hooker and has formed a dummy half partnership with Tom Starling.
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