Luke Keary set to re-sign with Sydney Roosters until end of 2024
The gun five-eighth was already contracted to the Roosters for a further 12 months but the premiers have moved swiftly to avert any threat of a big-money poaching bid.
NRL
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Roosters supremo Nick Politis has revealed his plan for Luke Keary to finish his career at Bondi as the Queensland-born playmaker prepares to ink a $2.8 million extension with the premiers.
Speaking exclusively on Keary’s new deal, Politis told News Corp the Roosters have no intention of losing the Ipswich product, who will agree to terms on a three-year upgrade within the next week.
The 28-year-old was already contracted to the Roosters for a further 12 months but the premiers moved swiftly to avert any threat of a big-money poaching bid, with the new contract keeping Keary at Bondi until the end of 2024.
The deal ostensibly scuppers any hope of a prospective second Brisbane team poaching Keary, who was viewed as a poster boy for a 17th team as the NRL considers expansion into Queensland for 2022 or 2023.
Rugby league fans recently voted Keary as the best five-eighth in the game ahead of Queensland Origin star Cameron Munster and Politis confirmed the three-time premiership-winner is under lock and key.
“Luke will be staying here,” Politis said.
“We are just finalising it with his manager and we will announce the deal in the next week or so.”
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Keary, who is on $700,000 this season, was judged the most valuable player in the NRL Rich 100.
The Roosters’ galaxy of stars will see him sacrifice more lucrative pay days at other clubs in pursuit of more premierships at Bondi.
It is understood his upgraded deal starts at around $850,000, with Keary also able to pocket more than $100,000 in representative payments if sustained success at the Roosters propels him into NSW Origin and Australian teams.
Keary will also receive an education allowance as part of the new deal for study purposes, which has been approved by the NRL salary-cap auditor.
Asked if Keary would finish his career with the club, Politis said: “I don’t know what ‘lifetime’ means for a player but we won’t lose him.
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“Luke is 28 and this new deal, which will be three years on top of one more year under his existing contract, takes him until the end of 2024.
“Luke will be 32 when he comes off-contract again, so we are very happy with him.
“Because of his intelligence, he will become even more dominant with the more games he plays.
“I see Luke getting better with age.”
Speaking on Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program on Monday night, Roosters coach Trent Robinson said Keary is genuinely content at the two-time premiers.
“Luke is great,” he said.
“When you come through the doors every day, do you enjoy the people you work with and do you express yourself in the way that you are going to work?
“There is no difference in any business and we have been able to provide that for Luke.
“He has grown throughout the period of time from a good young player to a leader.
“He enjoys walking in every day and we enjoy having him here. It’s pretty simple desires sometimes.”
Originally published as Luke Keary set to re-sign with Sydney Roosters until end of 2024