NRL transfer news: Tigers to make call on Luke Brooks Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii confirms Roosters departure
The winless Tigers have some big decisions to make after missing out on Mitchell Moses, as the consider giving embattled half Luke Brooks another chance or look elsewhere for a new No.7.
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Wests Tigers are expected to pursue former Raiders half George Williams as they weigh up Luke Brooks’ future.
The Tigers have also been dealt a blow with Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy expected to rebuff the club’s advances to re-sign with the Sharks.
Mitchell Moses’ decision to reject the prospect of being the highest paid player in the club to re-join the Tigers has the club now assessing what their next move is.
While they long feared Moses would remain an Eel they were not without hope of enticing him back to the club.
Moses’ decision now has a ripple effect on the player market. No other high profile halves are off-contract at season’s end.
Canberra star Jack Wighton has an option his way for next year while the only two starting halves off-contract are Canterbury’s Kyle Flanagan and the Warriors’ Shaun Johnson.
That leaves the Tigers with two options – to pursue someone like Williams – or look to hit the player market in 2024 when a stack of big name players will be free to negotiate come November 1.
The winless Tigers are likely to make a call on Brooks’ future within the next month having indicated they always wanted to see how he would perform under the new-look coaching set-up before they made a decision.
The no. 7 came under fire again for his performance during the Tigers’ 24-12 loss to the Storm on Friday night.
Brooks’ future could be decided after the annual Easter Monday clash against the Eels in round six where he will come head to head with Moses.
If Moses had returned to the Tigers then Brooks would have almost certainly remained at the club. But his market value will dip will below the more than $1 million he will earn this year.
Williams has always been considered the Tigers next best option. But he too has a deal with Warrington locked in until the end of next year.
Williams shared a strong partnership with fellow Englishman and Tigers recruit John Bateman during their time at Canberra.
The Tigers have secured Adam Doueihi on a one-year contract while Brandon Wakeham – who started in the halves on Friday night – is off-contract at the end of the season.
Free agents come November 1 includes; Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds, Jamal Fogarty, Nicho Hynes, Josh Schuster and Jarome Luai.
REVEALED: SUAALII CONFIRMS SHOCK CODE SWITCH
Clive Churchill medallist Luke Keary has made the stunning admission that Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will become the next Sonny Bill Williams as a cross-code legend.
The sensational claim has emerged amid confirmation from Suaalii that he will join the Australian Rugby Union at the end of the 2024 NRL season.
Suaalii has become the face of an ARU poaching war of rugby league talent by inking a deal to join rugby union from 2025 and ahead of the World Cup in 2027.
Not long after the Roosters confirmed the worst-kept secret, Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs also announced a three-year contract for the former rugby prodigy.
RA chairman Hamish McLennan couldn’t help but have a cheeky dig in their statement: “Welcome back to rugby, Joseph.”
The mega-deal is worth between $1.6 and $2 million a season - almost double what the 19-year-old could earn playing in the centres at the Roosters.
“I know he’s all-in with us (for now) and I think we’re about to see a Sonny Bill-esque type career,’’ Keary told Triple M.
“If he goes, he’ll finish at the World Cup and still be 24-years-old and hopefully we then see him again in the NRL. I know his dream is also to win a premiership.
“He obviously took his option up (to play for the Roosters) for 2024 and we know this (pursuit by Rugby Australia) is happening.
“I say, good on him.
“He’s obviously a rugby boy. And it wouldn’t surprise me at all (that he goes to rugby union).
“I’m very confident he’ll be there (at the Roosters) for 2024.
“He‘s a really good kid and he wouldn’t have taken that option up in his contract for 2024, if he knew he was going (to rugby).’’
Keary doubled-down on his praise for Suaalii by predicting his impact in union will be similar to that of former NRL star and 73-game Wallaby, Israel Folau.
“I think he goes over as a centre. He could play on the wing and I think you‘ll see Israel Folau in him,’’ Keary said.
“He‘s nearly the same player as Izzy.
“He’s got that big, tall body. He’s fast, he can own the air, he’s a strong ball runner, who doesn’t play with the ball too much.
“They’ve obviously got (Waratahs fullback) Max Jorgensen playing fullback, so I see him in that Israel style of playing a bit of fullback, wing or centre.’’
NRL boss Andrew Abdo said there was no reason to revive former chief executive Dave Smith’s famed war chest to keep players in the game given the impending increase in the salary cap.
“I’m not too concerned,” Abdo told ABC Sport.
“If someone wants to leave good luck to them.
“Good luck to any player who wants to play another code.
“Good luck to any code who wants to use rugby league to access talent.
“What I love about this game is how many talented athletes we keep producing.”
NRL player swap sends Aaron Woods to Manly
Veteran front-rower Aaron Woods is on the verge of joining the Manly Sea Eagles for the final season of his career.
The 32-year-old St George-Illawarra prop is part of a swap deal between the Dragons and Manly
Manly’s exciting young forwards Alec Tuitavake and Viliame Fifita will make an immediate switch to the Dragons as part of the swap.
Manly coach Anthony Seibold sees him as an important mentor to the club’s younger forwards and his experience off the bench will benefit the Sea Eagles.
This will be the 32-year-old’s fifth club after stints at Wests Tigers, Canterbury, Cronulla, the Dragons and now Manly.
News Corp broke the original story of young forwards Tuitavake and Fifita joining Saints, effective immediately.
ROOSTERS MOVE TO LOCK DOWN STAR WINGER
The Roosters are in negotiations to re-sign representative winger Daniel Tupou, a move that will help cover the potential loss of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to rugby union.
It was widely considered the signing of 21-year-old Knights winger Dominic Young from 2024 would act as a passing of the baton from the off-contract Tupou after 12 seasons with the tricolours.
Tupou, the longest-serving member of the Roosters backline, having made his NRL debut with the club in 2012, also has no shortage of interest from the English Super League, with St Helens the lead suitor.
However, News Corp can reveal Tupou’s management have begun discussions with the Roosters to extend his contract, with the club eager to hold onto the prolific tryscorer, for at least one more season.
There’s no suggestion, Tupou couldn’t re-sign until 2025.
The three-time premiership-winner turns 32 in June, but has proven a mainstay on the Roosters wing with superb average of 21 games across the past seven seasons.
His re-signing would mean the Roosters backline remains in-tact for at least 2024. It remains to be seen if Suaalii remains at the Roosters in 2024, should he ultimately sign with the ARU for 2025.
Providing he stays healthy, Tupou is on the verge of becoming the Roosters greatest try scorer of all-time.
Tupou has scored 136 tries in 228 games and is just four tries away from usurping club legend Anthony Minichiello’s all-time try scoring record of 139 tries.
Earlier this year, the modest Tupou admitted he felt embarrassed to be within reach of breaking Minichiello‘s record.
“I’m blessed to be able to come so close to reaching that milestone, but at the same time I don’t want it to be my main focus. I also don’t want to beat Mini’s amazing Roosters milestone,” Tupou said.
“He’s an all-time Roosters great and I don’t want to go past his milestone. He is one of the best players to have ever put on the jersey.”
ROOSTERS – MOST TRIES
139 A. Minichiello 302 games
136 D. Tupou 228 games
121 S. Kenny-Dowall 224 games
104 B. Mullins 190 games
93 D. Brown 94 games
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