The Kangaroos are rallying around young halfback Sam Walker, intent on keeping the focus on the Rugby League World Cup despite his NRL club turmoil.
The Australian team is in Townsville to prepare for their round three match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday night against the Cook Islands.
While they remain unbeaten, the Kangaroos' performances against New Zealand and Fiji have been far from convincing.
But the talking point early this week has been Australian teammates Walker and Hudson Young, with their NRL clubs withdrawing lucrative contract offers.
If Walker and his Sydney Roosters, and Young and Canberra, don't get back to the bargaining table, the pair will join a swag of other stars in Kangaroos camp who will become free agents on November 1.
Centre Bradman Best is one of 11 Test players set to hit the open market after putting negotiations on hold with Newcastle, who have tabled a massive four-year extension.
Best wanted to put all of his attention into his Australian debut, which he made last round against Fiji.
He said on Wednesday that while Walker had the support of his teammates, the 24-year-old playmaker hadn't shown any signs of distraction amidst the club strife.
"Sammy has been sweet as. We have been letting him worry about it but also throwing an arm around him," Best said of Walker's contract drama.
"The media can be a bit hectic at times and his name is all through it at the moment.
"We are making sure he is alright but he has been handling it like a trooper. He has a training-first mentality and making sure he is preparing us well."
Veteran Liam Martin also said it was business as usual for the seemingly unflappable Walker.
"We were all a bit shocked by it, but he's been great," Martin said of Walker.
"He's been upbeat. He sort of took control of the training session there and you wouldn't even be able to tell, he didn't miss a beat, so I think that's a real credit to his personality and who he is as a person."
Despite his steely focus, Walker was edged by hometown hero Tom Dearden to partner Cameron Munster in the halves when the Australian team for Sunday was announced.
Walker was named in the No.20 jumper.
As well as Walker Best, other Australian players to test the open market include Munster, Harry Grant, Latrell Mitchell, Jack Bostock, Isaah Yeo and Martin himself.
The second-rower said the unusual situation had made for some good banter.
"We're all getting into one another, going, 'Oh, where are you looking at on realestate.com'," he said with a smile.
"It's good to have that sort of banter, but I think what the group does really well is we don't let it distract us - once we're training we're on and we're focused on what the job is at hand."
Martin says re-signing with Penrith, where he has won four premierships in eight seasons, remains his preferred option.
"It's obviously pretty tricky, you know, we've got a lot of boys to get done (signed)," the 29-year-old said. "We've got both our co-captains (Yeo and Nathan Cleary), and Moses Leota, so hopefully, fingers crossed, I can work out a deal and stay there as I absolutely love being there and it's still my number one choice."
