What Chad Townsend’s signing by Sydney Roosters means for NRL’s playmaker transfer market
The Sydney Roosters’ signing of veteran Chad Townsend means Sam Walker is leaving the Chooks, or Dylan Brown is leaving the Eels, or none of the above. But it did send the NRL rumour mill into overdrive.
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Chad Townsend’s shock move to the Sydney Roosters has ignited wild transfer speculation involving Tricolours halfback Sam Walker, the Brisbane Broncos and even Parramatta’s Dylan Brown. It doesn’t take much to spark rumours in the NRL and Townsend’s move to Bondi has kicked things into overdrive.
WHAT’S COOKING AT THE CHOOKS?
The signing of veteran halfback Townsend on a one-year deal for 2025 raises a number of intriguing questions, most notably — what are the Roosters up to?
According to the Roosters, Townsend will join in a mentoring role to help guide Walker, 22, and Sandon Smith, 21, who have been earmarked as the club’s long-term halves combination.
He will slot in place of Luke Keary at the end of the season when the veteran half either retires, or accepts an offer to join Catalans.
On the surface it makes sense, except when you consider that this is the same club that demands success so much that they signed Cooper Cronk over the top of Mitchell Pearce in 2018 and went on to win back-to-back NRL premierships.
Is 33-year-old Townsend really there on a short-term stint to help prepare Walker and Smith for the future? Or is he filling a spot for 12 months to allow the Roosters to make a big free agency play?
They haven’t progressed past week two of the finals since 2019, and you get the feeling the Chooks are approaching another statement moment, like the one they made with Cronk.
WHO IS ON THE MARKET?
So who fits the Cronk mould, and who is available when Townsend departs?
You can rule out Origin halves Tom Dearden and
Wests Tigers-bound Jarome Luai, who have deals until 2029.
Penrith have Nathan Cleary until at least the end of 2027, while Melbourne’s Jahrome Hughes, Wests Tigers prodigy Lachlan Galvin and New Zealand’s Luke Metcalf are all on deck for two more years.
Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses is also contracted until the end of 2026, with player options for two years after that.
Veterans Daly Cherry-Evans, Ben Hunt and Cody Walker are all off contract at the end of next season but will be 37, 36 and 36 respectively in 2026.
So you can rule them out.
THE ODD MAN OUT
The name that does stick out is Eels five-eighth Brown.
He signed a deal until the end of 2031, but with an option to opt out after the 2025 next season, and again in 2028.
The options in Brown’s contract were designed to give home some freedom should his situation change or he had a desire to return to New Zealand.
The Kiwi international is only 24, already has more than 100 NRL games under his belt, has played in a grand final and emerged as one of the elite halves in the game.
Privately, the Roosters have denied interest in Brown, but given their track record at attracting talent, you could not rule out the Tricolours making a play for the five-eighth to partner Walker in the halves.
WALKER RUMOURS
The Roosters vehemently denied rumours doing the rounds on Thursday that Walker had been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs. That came after speculation linking Walker with the Broncos, who are looking for Adam Reynolds’ long-term successor. Walker is off contract at the end of 2025 and is free to negotiate with rivals clubs from November 1. No doubt there would be plenty of clubs interested in Walker’s services given the lack of high-quality halves on the open market.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE COWBOYS?
North Queensland indicated to Townsend that they could not afford to make him an offer to remain at the Cowboys next season, even if his asking price is more than half his current annual salary of around $800,000.
The Cowboys, like most clubs, have salary cap issues. They have already lost promising young back-rower Kulikefu Finefeuaiki to the Dolphins next year.
They have extended Origin star Tom Dearden and forward Heilum Luki until the end of 2029, Jeremiah Nanai is locked in until 2027 and they’re on the cusp of re-signing Reuben Cotter on a long-term deal.
Rivals can approach NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson from November 1, who will be in demand if the Cowboys don’t lock him up before then.
Although they will miss Townsend’s experience, the Cowboys have recent NRL debutant Jaxon Purdue, 18, and Thomas Duffy, 20, knocking down the door.
So it makes sense to allow Townsend to leave North Queensland at season’s end, for a swan song with the Roosters before he hopes to make the jump into punditry with one of the NRL’s broadcast partners.
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