ST George Illawarra is yet to table a contract extension to Benji Marshall, but the veteran playmaker says he will definitely play on after 2016.

Marshall told Fox Sports in an interview on Wednesday he has sat down with Dragons officials but the club has not offered him a new deal.

The 30-year-old is off contract this year and desperately wants to continue his rugby league career.

He emphatically quashed rumours of retirement.

Round 19

“I’ll be playing next year for sure,” Marshall said.

Benji Marshall during Dragons training. Source: News Corp Australia

“There was speculation that I was retiring but I don’t know where that came from.

“I reckon I’ve got a good two or three years left in me for sure.

“I’ve had a couple of meetings with the Dragons and at the moment they are not in a position to offer me a contract.

“They’ve expressed that might change around March or April.

“I’d love to stay longer and if that happens great, if it doesn’t I’ll have to go somewhere else.

“Whatever happens my full concentration is with the Dragons at the moment.”

Marshall joined the Dragons midway through the 2014 season following a brief stint in rugby union.

Benji Marshall barks orders. Source: News Corp Australia

He enjoyed a solid 2015 season and was leading the Dally M voting at times during the year, eventually taking the Red V to finals for the first time in four years.

Veteran winger Jason Nightingale had played with Marshall at international level for a long time before the pair were reunited in Wollongong.

Nightingale says if it was up to him, his Kiwi teammate would see out his career in the Red V.

“Ideally that would be the way I’d like to see it, but that’s not my job unfortunately,” Nightingale told Fox Sports.

“If it was I’d re-sign everyone, but that’s not the way it works.

Dragons’ Benji Marshall in action. Source: News Corp Australia

“He’s great for our club, he keeps everyone up and energised and is a great leader for our team.

Ideally we would keep him, but Benji is a great player and there will be other clubs who will see value in him.”

Nightingale laughed off the suggestion Marshall could retire this year, saying the crafty halfback is as fit and enthusiastic as ever during pre-season training.

Marshall’s future has been clouded further by reports St George Illawarra is chasing Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk for next year.

Promising young playmaker Drew Hutchison is also knocking at the door of an NRL berth.