NRL off-season news and moves: 10 leave Roosters in NRL carnage

The Sydney Roosters made the NRL semi-finals but the club has joined the carnage sweeping the league, including cutting an ex-Origin player.

It's big news from the Roosters. Photo: Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters have become the latest team to swing the axe through their roster with ten players confirmed to have left the club.

The Roosters were pre-season favourites but were out of the top eight for most of the season before a late season resurgence.

Watch every game of The 2023 NRL Telstra Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo Sports. Join now and start streaming instantly >

The club scraped into the finals in seventh, before edging the Sharks 13-12.

It looked like the side may have snuck into the preliminary finals as well as they had the same scoreline in the semi-finals against the Storm, until a late cross-field kick from Cameron Munster broke their hearts.

But the sentimentality didn’t last long as the club ran an axe through the roster with nine changes from this season.

The club already knew that Fletcher Baker was heading to the Broncos and Jaxson Paulo to the Sea Eagles, while Vuate Karawalevu joined rugby union, Matt Lodge the Sea Eagles and Tuku Hau Tapuha the Sharks all switched mid-season.

But at the club’s award night, the club has confirmed that another five — frontrower Ben Thomas, hooker Thomas Deakin, forward Nathan Brown, hooker Jake Turpin and utility Drew Hutchison — would be leaving.

Deakin has reportedly signed with the Huddersfield Giants in the UK Super League, while Hutchison has been linked to the Bulldogs with Phil Gould all but confirming his move on 100% Footy on Monday night.

However, there could be more moves with Corey Allen and Connor Watson also without contracts but were not farewelled by the club.

“I want to thank some players that are leaving,” Robinson said in a speech.

“It’s always really hard at this time of year because there are players that we aren’t sure whether they are going to be here or not because that’s the negotiation in our sport.”

Brown played two Origins in 2020. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Hutchison played 71 games for the Roosters. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

The news comes just a matter of days after the Cowboys axed nine of their own.

The Cowboys were four points from making the 2022 NRL grand final but struggled early in the season to crash out in 11th on the ladder.

While the Cowboys were in good company with the 2022 grand finalists Parramatta and fellow prelim side South Sydney in crashing out before finals in 2023, the Cowboys have acted to change up its roster.

Centre Peta Hiku signed with the Super League, forward Riley Price signed with the Panthers and veteran James Tamou retired, but six other players have just been cut.

It includes 82-game utility Ben Hampton as well as winger Brendan Elliot, uncapped halfback Jake Bourke, Fijian international Taniel Sadragu, 58-game forward Mitchell Dunn and outside back Gehamat Shibasaki.

The moves are set to be made official at the club’s presentation night on Wednesday

Ben Hampton has been dumped. Picture: Brendan Radke

Dunn has been at the club for six years. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Gus whacks Eels with double blow

Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould has struck two blows against the Eels in quick succession.

The Eels are keen to replenish its outside back stocks after its poor 2023 season which saw the club go from grand finalists to missing the finals altogether.

But not only has Gould stopped a poaching raid, he’s nabbed a promising Eels junior.

Parramatta were sniffing around winger Blake Wilson as the Eels had begun informal talks.

There was no formal offer on extended but the winger has rejected the Eels to stay with the Dogs, where he scored six tries in 11 matches for the club.

Gould then launched a raid of his own, nabbing Eels SG Ball winger Cody Parry, who represented the Australian Schoolboys.

Parry scored 10 tries in five games in the SG Ball this season.

Knights cull 10 as clubs start mass clean outs

Incoming St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has begun his clean out of the Dragons roster, with two players set to leave the club.

Tautau Moga and Nick Lui-Toso will depart the Dragons, while there’s plenty of movement at other clubs in the NRL.

The Newcastle Knights may be heading into finals in red hot form, but they will lose 10 players, including winger Dom Young, who will join the Roosters next season.

Adam Clune, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Lachlan Miller are all heading from Newcastle to the Super League from 2024.

The Warriors have confirmed forward Bayley Sironen won’t have his contract extended, while young prop Valingi Kepu will also depart the club at the end of the year.

The news of the duo’s departure was confirmed at the Warriors’ end-of-season awards.

Ben Murdoch-Masila is heading from the Warriors to the Dragons, and Viliami Vailea is going to the North Queensland Cowboys.

The Dolphins will farewell premiership winner Brenko Lee but are set to welcome Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler next season.

BRISBANE BRONCOS

Departing

Logan Bayliss (released)

Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)

Thomas Flegler (Dolphins)

Brendan Frei (released)

Keenan Palasia (Titans)

Ethan Quai-Ward (Bulldogs)

Incoming

Fletcher Baker (Roosters)

CANBERRA RAIDERS

Departing

Jarrod Croker (Retired)

Matt Frawley (Leeds Rhinos — SL)

Brad Schneider (Panthers)

Semi Valemei (Cowboys)

Jack Wighton (Rabbitohs)

Incoming

Simi Sasagi (Knights)

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS

Departing

Paul Alamoti (Panthers)

Jake Averillo (Dolphins)

Fa’amanu Brown (mid-season — Knights)

Brandon Clarke (released)

Andrew Davey (mid-season — Eels)

Kyle Flanagan (Dragons)

Jayden Okunbor (Hull FC — SL)

Tevita Pangai Jr. (retired)

Franklin Pele (Hull FC — SL)

Josh Reynolds (retired)

Luke Thompson (Wigan Warriors — SL)

Incoming

Stephen Crichton (Panthers)

Jaeman Salmon (Panthers)

Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs)

Bronson Xerri (Drug ban)

CRONULLA SHARKS

Departing

Wade Graham (retired)

Matt Ikuvalu (mid-season — Catalans Dragons — SL)

Incoming

None

DOLPHINS

Departing

JJ Collins (released)

Herman Ese’ese (Hull FC — SL)

Poasa Faamausili (released)

Oliver Gildart (Hull Kingston Rovers)

Brenko Lee (Super League)

Incoming

Jake Averillo (Bulldogs)

Herbie Farnworth (Broncos)

Tom Flegler (Broncos)

Oryn Keeley (Knights)

GOLD COAST TITANS

Departing

Aaron Booth (retired)

Patrick Herbert (released)

Kruise Leeming (Wigan Warriors — SL)

Ben Liyou (released)

Sam McIntyre (mid-season — Cowboys)

Thomas Mikaele (mid-season — Warrington Wolves — SL)

Toby Sexton (mid-season — Bulldogs)

Incoming

Keenan Palasia (Broncos)

MANLY SEA EAGLES

Departing

Latu Fainu (Tigers)

Samuela Fainu (Tigers)

Kelma Tuilagi (Eels)

Incoming

Luke Brooks (Tigers)

Aitasi James (Tigers)

Jaxson Paulo (Roosters)

Tommy Talau (Tigers)

MELBOURNE STORM

Departing

Tom Eisenhuth (released)

Jordan Grant (released)

George Jennings (released)

Jayden Nikorima (Catalans Dragons — SL)

Tariq Sims (Catalans Dragons — SL)

Incoming

None

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS

Departing

Viliami Vailea (Cowboys)

Otukinekina Kepu (released)

Bayley Sironen (Catalans Dragons — SL)

Valingi Kepu (released)

Taniela Otukolo (released)

Incoming

Chanel Harris-Tavita (retirement)

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Rugby)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

Departing

Dane Aukafolau (released)

Adam Clune (Huddersfield Giants — SL)

Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Warrington Wolves — SL)

Bailey Hodgson (released)

Hymel Hunt (released)

Jack Johns (released)

Oryn Keeley (Dolphins)

Lachlan Miller (Leeds Rhinos — SL)

Simi Sasagi (Raiders)

Dominic Young (Roosters)

Incoming

Jed Cartwright (Rabbitohs)

Jack Cogger (Panthers)

Kai Pearce-Paul (Wigan Warriors — SL)

Will Pryce (Huddersfield Giants — SL)

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS

Departing

Jake Bourke (released)

Mitchell Dunn (released)

Brendan Elliot (released)

Ben Hampton (released)

Peta Hiku (Hull Kingston Rovers)

Sylvester Namo (Castleford Tigers — SL)

Riley Price (Panthers)

Taniela Sadrugu (released)

Gehamat Shibasaki (released)

James Tamou (retired)

Incoming

Jake Clifford (Hull FC — SL)

Viliami Vailea (Warriors)

PARRAMATTA EELS

Departing

Jake Arthur (mid-season — Manly Sea Eagles)

Nathan Brown (mid-season — Roosters)

Josh Hodgson (retired)

Jack Murchie (Huddersfield Giants — SL)

Mitch Rein (retired)

Incoming

Kelma Tuilagi (Sea Eagles)

PENRITH PANTHERS

Departing

Jack Cogger (Knights)

Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs)

Spencer Leniu (Roosters)

Jaeman Salmon (Bulldogs)

Incoming

Paul Alamoti (Bulldogs)

Daine Laurie (Tigers)

Riley Price (Cowboys)

Brad Schneider (Raiders)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

Departing

Jed Cartwright (Knights)

Liam Knight (Bulldogs)

Hame Sele (Dragons)

Blake Taaffe (Bulldogs)

Incoming

Jack Wighton (Raiders)

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

Departing

Jaidyn Hunt (Broncos)

Josh Kerr (mid-season — Dolphins)

Nick Lui-Toso (released)

Moses Mbye (mid-season — St Helens Saints — SL)

Tautau Moga (released)

Zane Musgrove (Warrington Wolves — SL)

Jayden Sullivan (Tigers)

Aaron Woods (mid-season — Manly)

Incoming

Kyle Flanagan (Bulldogs)

Hame Sele (Rabbitohs)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

Departing

Fletcher Baker (Broncos)

Nathan Brown (released)

Thomas Deakin (Huddersfield Giants — SL)

Elie El-Zakhem (Castleford Tigers — SL)

Tuku Hau Tapuha (mid-season — Sharks)

Drew Hutchison (released)

Vuate Karawalevu (Rugby Union)

Matthew Lodge (mid-season — Manly)

Jaxson Paulo (Manly)

Ben Thomas (released)

Jake Turpin (released)

Incoming

Spencer Leniu (Panthers)

Lewis Murphy (Wakefield Trinity — SL)

Dominic Young (Knights)

WESTS TIGERS

Departing

Luke Brooks (Manly)

Aitasi James (Sea Eagles)

Daine Laurie (Panthers)

Ken Maumalo (mid-season — Titans)

Joe Ofahengaue (mid-season — Eels)

Tommy Talau (Manly)

Incoming

Latu Fainu (Manly)

Samuela Fainu (Manly)

Aidan Sezer (Leeds Rhinos — SL)

Jayden Sullivan (Dragons)