The New Zealand Warriors have extended the contract of winger Manu Vatuvei, announcing he would stay with the club to the end of the 2011 season.

Vatuvei, 22, had a contract until 2009 but the NRL club clinched a deal that will stretch the Kiwi international's first-grade career with the Warriors to at least eight seasons.

"We were determined to keep Manu at the Warriors," club chief executive Wayne Scurrah said.

"We value him extremely highly. He's clearly one of the most exciting players in the game today and all of our players have the greatest admiration for what he brings to the team."

Vatuvei, who has already played 11 Tests for the Kiwis and 63 first-grade matches for his club, has been one of the standout performers in the first five weeks of the NRL season.

With doubles against Melbourne, Parramatta and the Bulldogs, he is equal top try scorer with six so far, boosting his career tally to 35, the ninth best in Warriors' history.

He also tops the NRL's statistics for line breaks (9) and his tally of 35 tackle breaks is bettered only by Melbourne's Israel Folau.

"I'm not interested in playing anywhere else," Vatuvei said.

"I love it here with the boys at the Warriors. Everyone at the club has done heaps for me and I want to do my best to pay them back.

Coach Ivan Cleary is thrilled Vatuvei has secured a long-term future at the Warriors.

"Manu's a really important player for our side.

"He's a huge threat to any opposition at either end of the field and he's just getting better and better."

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