DALLAS Johnson has put aside the lure of the British Super League to stay with the Melbourne Storm for another three years, but the National Rugby League premier is now gearing up for a battle to keep much-improved forward Jeff Lima.

Johnson, whom coach Craig Bellamy recently labelled the Storm's priority re-signing this year, said loyalty and the desire to keep playing representative football played a big part in his decision.

But he said he was tempted by offers from cashed-up English clubs that have snared many NRL players.

"Obviously, I love Melbourne and love the club … I thought this was the best place for my footy and this is why I stayed here," the Australian and Queensland lock said.

"If you go over there, you pretty much can write your rep footy off, so that's something I want to achieve. I want to play a few more games for Queensland and (Australia)."

Melbourne's football operations manager Frank Ponissi said the highly regarded Johnson, who is one of the toughest players in the NRL, had indicated he would not play against the Storm.

"From day one, he said he wasn't talking to other (NRL) clubs and we believed him because he's an extremely loyal person," Ponissi said.

"He always said it would be Melbourne Storm or go and play in England."

Ponissi yesterday confirmed the Storm had tabled a three-year deal to Lima, who is out of contract this season and being courted by the Bulldogs.

"Are we confident of holding him? We think and hope so, but it's still early days," Ponissi said. "We know that Jeff is very happy at the Melbourne Storm and we're very happy with him."

Ponissi also said he was not surprised that fellow prop Adam Blair was a likely target of the Bulldogs.

Lima's manager Sam Ayoub, who is meeting with Storm officials tomorrow, confirmed the Bulldogs had shown "strong interest".

"At this stage of his career, he's looking to make the most of his next contract because realistically he hasn't benefited a great deal (financially) out of his footy career the last three or four years," Ayoub said.

"Even his current contract, it's certainly not up there to where he deserves to be but in saying that, that's not Melbourne's fault at all."