NRL signing news 2023: Sydney Roosters extend Victor Radley, Egan Butcher deals
The Sydney Roosters recruitment drive continues with two gun forwards agreeing to extend their stay at the club – keep up to date with the latest NRL contract news here.
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The Sydney Roosters have locked in key forwards Victor Radley and Egan Butcher, as the future of Kangaroos backrower Angus Crichton remains in limbo.
The latest signings come after the Bondi club added two-time Penrith premiership winner Spencer Leniu for 2024.
Radley’s four-year extension will keep him in the Tricolours until at least the end of 2027.
“I can’t imagine myself playing anywhere else, so I’m happy to have my long-term future sorted here at the Roosters,” said Radley.
Butcher has become a key man for the Roosters’ campaign, having been named in Crichton’s left-edge back-row spot for the season opener against the Dolphins on Sunday.
“The Roosters mean a lot to me and I’m stoked that I’ll continue to be part of the team we have here,” said Butcher, who signed a two-year deal until the end of 2025.
“I know that my best footy is still ahead of me and I’m keen to keep working with Robbo, the coaches and senior players we have here to keep improving every day.”
Coach Trent Robinson said both Butcher and Radley were part of the club’s long-term plans.
“Victor and Egan are hard workers who love the tough stuff. They’re also good men who play an important role within our squad so it’s great to have them locked into the club’s long-term plans,” said Robinson.
The club is also seeking salary cap relief for Crichton after the test forward was granted personal leave to seek treatment for mental health issues.
It’s believed Crichton won’t be able to train for at least 10 weeks before a wellbeing assessment will take place.
Any salary cap dispensation, said to be around $700,000, will only apply to the 2024 cap.
NAPA’S SURPRISE NRL LIFELINE WITH ROOSTERS
The Sydney Roosters have thrown a rugby league lifeline to premiership winner Dylan Napa.
It is understood Napa has agreed to a second-tier deal with the Roosters to be part of their NSW Cup squad with the hope of returning to the NRL.
Napa reached out to the Roosters last week after being released from his deal with Super League club Catalans Dragons. The Roosters have agreed to give him a minimal contract with match payments.
Napa could return to the top grade for the Roosters later in the season. He played 122 games for the tricolours during his six-season stint which included the 2018 premiership triumph.
That was his last game for the club before he was released to sign a rich three year contract at the Bulldogs.
He had mixed success at Canterbury playing 54 matches in three seasons before linking with Catalans last year, playing 20 games for the French-based side. Napa has also played seven State of Origin matches for Queensland – the last being in 2019.
His contract is a far cry from the $600,000 a season he earned at the Bulldogs and the deal is just for the rest of the season. It is understood Napa was at Roosters training on Tuesday.
The Roosters have a strong middle rotation led by Lindsay Collins, Matt Lodge and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Although there are some concerns regarding the fitness of Waerea-Hargreaves.
The likes of Waerea-Hargreaves, James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou, Joey Manu, Luke Keary and Victor Radley still remain from that premiership winning side.
INSIDE THE ROOSTERS’ FAILED DOUBLE PROP PLAY
The Sydney Roosters have bounced back quickly from their failure to land Tom Flegler, capitalising on Penrith’s salary cap squeeze to close in on the signature of Panthers prop Spencer Leniu as the long-term successor to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Leniu informed Penrith over the weekend of his plans to leave at the end of the season, his manager Joe Nakat confirming the Panthers enforcer was keen to join a club where he would be given the opportunity to compete for a starting spot.
Leniu was trapped behind James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota at Penrith but his path to a starting spot is likely to be cleared at the end of the season at the Roosters should Waerea-Hargreaves take a step back, either by drawing the curtain on his stellar career or by playing reduced minutes.
Waerea-Hargreaves’ front-row partner Matt Lodge is also off contract at the end of 2023, meaning the only established prop the Roosters have under contract is Queensland and Australian forward Lindsay Collins.
Leniu will help out in that respect given he has been a fixture in the Panthers’ premiership-winning outfit over the past two seasons, albeit predominantly off the interchange bench.
That was one of the sources of frustration for Leniu who is edging towards a now-or-never point in his career. Rather than be stranded behind Fisher-Harris and Leota, he will get the chance to prove he is a starting quality prop at a Sydney powerhouse.
News Corp understands that Leniu and his agent Joe Nakat will formalise a deal with the Roosters in the next 48 hours, easing the blow the Roosters suffered when they missed Flegler – the Brisbane prop opted to join the Dolphins.
The Roosters had made plays for Flegler and Leniu – News Corp was told they were initially exploring the possibility of signing both players in a bid to strengthen their front row.
“Penrith were outstanding in terms of how they handled the talks,” Nakat said.
“They are a very professional club. They did everything they could to try to make it work. It is an opportunity to play more minutes along the way to becoming a starting prop.
“That was the driver behind it.”
The Bulldogs and Wests Tigers were the other Sydney clubs in the mix for Leniu but it is understood they withdrew from the race some time ago, leaving the Panthers enforcer with a straight choice between staying at Penrith or joining the Roosters.
He will leave the Panthers at the end of the season along with his great mate Stephen Crichton – Crichton will join the Bulldogs and spoke of his close relationship with Leniu at the weekend.
“Although it’s disappointing to see a Panthers junior sign with another NRL club, we understand Spencer is a premiership winner and international player, who has received external interest,” Panthers chief executive Matt Cameron said.
“Panthers thanks Spencer for his efforts for the club and is looking forward to seeing him run out for the Panthers for the remainder of the 2023 NRL season.”
Here’s the latest on the big contract situations still up in the air:
Mitchell Moses
Moses is still expected to make a decision before Parramatta open their season on Thursday night. The Eels No. 7 is expected to sign an extension at Parramatta but News Corp understands he is genuinely torn given his emotional connection to the Tigers, his relationship with assistant Benji Marshall and the fact Luke Brooks is among his closest friends.
David Fifita
Fifita is expected to hold further talks with his management on Tuesday as he looks to make a call between staying on the Gold Coast and moving to the Raiders. Fifita again is believed to be genuinely torn, although the smart money is on him staying with the Titans.
Daine Laurie
Laurie has had talks with the Tigers over a one-year extension but neither the club nor the player are in any hurry to ink a new deal. If Laurie makes a fast start to the season, the Tigers may find themselves in a dogfight to keep him.
Will Kennedy
Kennedy is expected to start the season off contract as he and his management haggle with the Sharks over the length of any deal. It is a calculated gamble by the Sharks. Like Laurie, if he gets off to a flying start, Cronulla may struggle to keep him.
SHARKS’ FRESH SIGNING COUP: CHOOKS KO PANTHERS
Cronulla centre Jesse Ramien has given the Sharks a major boost on the eve of the season after signing a new three year deal.
Ramien was off contract at the end of the year but has signed a deal that will keep him at the Sharks until the end of 2026.
“I’m pleased to have it all sorted,” Ramien said.
“I love playing here at the Sharks. It’s been like a home away from home from the time I arrived here.
“I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season, we’ve got a tight group and I believe we can do something special this year.”
Ramien’s retention comes as the Sharks continue talks with Will Kennedy, Teig Wilton and Nicho Hynes over new deals.
MOUNTAIN MAN’S EXIT
Penrith prop Spencer Leniu has informed the Panthers he will leave the club at the end of the season, clearing the way for a likely move to the Sydney Roosters.
Leniu, a key piece of the Panthers’ dual premiership winning side, will finish this season at the premiers before switching camps.
The Roosters are firming as his most likely destination. News Corp revealed at the weekend that the Roosters had identified Leniu as an alternative to Brisbane prop Tom Flegler, who opted to join the Dolphins at the weekend.
The Bulldogs were the other Sydney club in the mix for Leniu but it is understood they withdrew from the race.
Leniu has played 61 games for Penrith.
“Although it’s disappointing to see a Panthers junior sign with another NRL club, we understand Spencer is a premiership winner and international player, who has received external interest,” Panthers chief executive Matt Cameron said.
“Panthers thanks Spencer for his efforts for the club and is looking forward to seeing him run out for the Panthers for the remainder of the 2023 NRL season.”
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