Back-to-back knee injuries derailed Paisami, who with 24 Wallabies caps to his name since his 2020 debut had the carrot of a maiden World Cup dangling in front of him.

While he garnered selection for Australia A and the Barbarians, he missed too much time on the field to force his way into then-Australia coach Eddie Jones’ squad.

He said he felt his exclusion was about more than his regular shifts in the casualty ward.

“It was pretty disappointing missing the majority of the season here at the Reds, and obviously the special occasion, the World Cup,” said Paisami, who played just six Super Rugby games last year.

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“To be fair I didn’t look much into [why I missed selection], but it probably could have come down to performance. I didn’t play my best footy in those first few rounds – that could have caught Eddie in the eye.

“With the injuries as well, it kind of hurt, but it comes down to both performance and injuries.”

Despite his disjointed campaign, Paisami re-signed with the Queensland club last year on a one-year deal. Where his future lies after that, however, remains to be seen.

He hinted options beyond 2024 had been on the table, having begun his career in the Melbourne Rebels system, while the allure of the dollars on offer overseas was always a temptation for Australia’s leading rugby union talent.

But he said he was determined to experience the Reds’ new era under Les Kiss, with his preference to remain at Ballymore.

“I had a longer-term deal, but for me, I thought it was what was best for me and my family, that one year deal – especially with the new facilities here and the coaching staff,” Paisami said.

“I’m loving it here at the moment. I love the Reds, the preference is to stay, but obviously, I’ve got to keep my options open as well.”