Sydney Roosters willing to leave roster spot open for a Joseph Manu mid-season return
The Sydney Roosters are holding out hope of Joseph Manu returning to the club this year following a stint in Japanese rugby, with the club prepared to leave a spot open in their roster for the star centre.
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The Sydney Roosters are holding out hope of Joseph Manu returning to the club this year and will keep a spot open in their roster should he choose to come back to Bondi from Japanese rugby.
It’s understood the Roosters believe they have the cap space to accommodate Manu if the international centre indicates a preference to ditch rugby for the NRL.
It’s understood Manu, who produced his best performance for Toyota Verblitz last weekend, is on a lucrative one year deal worth around $1 million but has an option in his favour to extend his time with the club for a further season.
If Manu doesn’t take up the option, the 28-year-old will become a free agent paving the way for an NRL comeback.
The Japanese Rugby League One Competition runs until May which opens the door for Manu to return to Australia before the June 30 deadline.
NRL clubs are required to have at least 24 players in the top 30 by November 1 before finalising the roster by June 30.
Any NRL contract would be registered at Manu’s market value but would be prorated until the end of the 2025 season and would need the approval of League Central.
The NRL has frowned upon players signing short rugby union stints in a bid to top up their salary with or returning to Australia on short-term deals while contracted to longer term with the rival code.
In 2019, the NRL scuttled Jordan Rapana’s one year deal with Panasonic Wild Knights after the governing body ruled it would prevent the former Canberra star from returning to the nation’s capital once his contract in Japan had expired.
Coach Trent Robinson’s roster will be without 900 games of NRL experience after farewelling Manu, Luke Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii at the end of 2024.
The mass exodus has also freed-up the salary cap space that would be needed for Manu to make a return to the NRL club.
Adding Manu to the roster mid-season will give the Tricolours a huge boost in the run to the final series.
Manu told reporters in June he would not rush to make a decision about his playing future, in either code, beyond 2025.
“I don’t really have a plan to be honest. I’m just going to go over there and try my best, give it a crack. Just ride the wave,” Manu said at the time.
“I’m not too sure where I end up. But obviously this club means a lot to me. Hopefully somewhere down the line I’ll come back here.”
Manu’s return would further bolster Robinson’s options in the backline with Kiwi international an option at centre, five-eighth or even fullback.
The likes of Billy Smith, highly touted rookie Robert Toia and rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase are in a three-way battle to replace Manu and Suaalii in the centres for the Roosters’ Round 1 clash against Brisbane at Allianz Stadium on March 6.
The trio will get a two-game audition to lock down a starting spot during next month’s pre-season challenge which kicks off against St George Illawarra on February 16 before a final trial run against Newcastle the following weekend.
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Originally published as Sydney Roosters willing to leave roster spot open for a Joseph Manu mid-season return
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