2025 Top 30 Roster - Fill in the Gaps

[Funky Chicken]

"Who" Pete Townsend?

You better you bet

[Jacks Fur Coat]

You better you bet

I ran this one up the flagpole and got crickets. You might be more funky than me. Tell you what I'll kick you off with a 'like'. Good song too.

["gaz"]

So currently this would be close to our best 22 side listed for Round 1

Collins/Watson /Leniu
Crichton/N Butcher
Radley
Townsend/S.Smith
Tupou /Billy Smith/Nawaqanitawase/Young
Tedesco

Interchange
14. Moriarty
15. Whyte
16. Wong
17. D S Va’a

Reserves
18. Robert Toia
19. Blake Steep
20 X. Va’a
21 E. Butcher
22 Salesi Foketi

["gaz"]

The Roosters recruitment and retention team will be very busy currently - Coach Robinson would have a few dinners planned as well one assumes

With roughly 3 to 3.2 mill left to spend it will take some effort to spend the required 97.5% of the cap for the 2025 season as not a lot available externally if a major external signing or two is being considered- May need to Front end contracts perhaps although these maybe deemed be "new" contracts?

2025 - 21 confirmed signings if May departs with up to 9 top 30 squad spots to fill

1. James Tedesco
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Billy Smith
4. Mark Nawaqanitawase
5. Dom Young
6. Sandon Smith
7. Chad "Pete" Townsend
8. Spencer Leniu
9. Connor Watson
10. Lindsay Collins
11. Angus Crichton
12. Nat Butcher
13. Victor Radley
14. Egan Butcher
15. Naufahu Whyte
16. Siua Wong
17. Robert Toia
18, Tyler Moriarty
19. Sam Walker
20. Brandon Smith
21. Fetalaiga Pauga
22.
23.
24,
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

Possible additions to the top 30 - min contract is 135k - 810 k if all 6 signed to such contracts -some may get more?

Xavier Va'a
De La Salle Va's
Ethan King
Blake Steep
Jake Elliot
Zach Dockar-Clay


Leaving between approximately 2.190 to 2,390 mill still to spend of the 2025 Cap for the top 30 squad

Who they re-sign from players off contract in 2025 will have an effect on what external signings are being considered for 2026 as well.

Off contract with a contract that expired in 2024.

Zaxk Dockar-Clay

Off contract with a contract that expires in 2025 and able to negotiate with other clubs from today - 1st November 2024

Egan Butcher , Tyler Moriary , Brandon Smith , James Tedesco , Robert Toia , Chad "Pete" Townsend and Sam Walker

Off contract with a contract that expires in 2026 and able to negotiate with other clubs from- 1st November 2025

Angus Crichton , Mark Nawaqanitawase , Sandon Smith , Daniel Tupou , Xavier Va'a , Naufahu Whyte and Siua Wong


Supplementary List formerly development contracts- $650k - min 4 and max 6 players - 80k plus 3k for each NRL Game played - Can play NRL from round 1

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


Extended Bench/second tier - not 100% sure what the maximum is or how many can be signed or what the cap is - A maximum 80 K max has been mentioned and 3k for each NRL game played - can only play NRL after round 11 - Dylan Napa was on one of these contracts for an example


Interesting Times ahead

It looks like the Top 30 Squad is looking like this now

1. Angus Crichton
2. Billy Smith
3. Blake Steep
4. Brandon Smith
5. Chad Townsend
6. Connor Watson
7. Daniel Tupou
8. Dom Young
9. De La Salle Va’a
10. Egan Butcher
11. Ethan Roberts
12. James Tedesco
13. Junior Pauga
14. Lindsay Collins
15. Mark Nawaqanitawase
16. Naufahu Whyte
17. Nat Butcher
18. Robert Toia
19. Salesi Foketi
20. Sam Walker
21. Sandon Smith
22. Siua Wong
23. Spencer Leniu
24. Tyler Moriarty
25. Victor Radley
26. Xavier Va’a
27.
28.
20.
30.

Train and Trial or added to Supplementary List (up to 6 players)

Taylor Losalu – Prop
Max McCathie – 2R
Benaiah Ioelu – DH
Toby Rodwell – Half
Jake Elliott - Half
Hugo Savala - Half
Reece Foley – Half
Rex Bassingthwaite - FB
Mikey Nassar - FB
Zac Sarfati – FB
Lachlan Dooner- Back
Cohen Dittmann - Centre
Tyreece Tait - Wing


Only 4 spots left or 3 if Moses Mbye is true.

[MKCS]

Doesn't seem to be a lot of class or experience anywhere except our forwards. We're going to be in trouble during Origin time or if we have any injuries as well.

[worldbe3]

It looks like the Top 30 Squad is looking like this now

1. Angus Crichton
2. Billy Smith
3. Blake Steep
4. Brandon Smith
5. Chad Townsend
6. Connor Watson
7. Daniel Tupou
8. Dom Young
9. De La Salle Va’a
10. Egan Butcher
11. Ethan Roberts
12. James Tedesco
13. Junior Pauga
14. Lindsay Collins
15. Mark Nawaqanitawase
16. Naufahu Whyte
17. Nat Butcher
18. Robert Toia
19. Salesi Foketi
20. Sam Walker
21. Sandon Smith
22. Siua Wong
23. Spencer Leniu
24. Tyler Moriarty
25. Victor Radley
26. Xavier Va’a
27.
28.
20.
30.

Train and Trial or added to Supplementary List (up to 6 players)

Taylor Losalu – Prop
Max McCathie – 2R
Benaiah Ioelu – DH
Toby Rodwell – Half
Jake Elliott - Half
Hugo Savala - Half
Reece Foley – Half
Rex Bassingthwaite - FB
Mikey Nassar - FB
Zac Sarfati – FB
Lachlan Dooner- Back
Cohen Dittmann - Centre
Tyreece Tait - Wing


Only 4 spots left or 3 if Moses Mbye is true.

Where did you find this top 30? It’s interesting that Robert’s couldn’t even crack NSW Cup last year and gets elevated into the top 30. Would rather see Elliott get that spot

[Bates]

Townsend running out opening game of the 2025 season and wearing the no 7 jersey is a dark day for our club.

[mightyrooster]

Lots of youth in that squad if true. Lots of promising young players but are they ready for the step up? But I guess if we don’t offer them a clear pathway other clubs will come poaching especially with the expansion of the comp not far away too.

[Lydon]

Townsend running out opening game of the 2025 season and wearing the no 7 jersey is a dark day for our club.

100%

Very hard to get excited about 2025!

[Rooster90]

Where did you find this top 30? It’s interesting that Robert’s couldn’t even crack NSW Cup last year and gets elevated into the top 30. Would rather see Elliott get that spot

It would have been written into his contract - Souths went hard after him a year ago

He was also injured for a chuck of the season

["gaz"]

Where did you find this top 30? It’s interesting that Robert’s couldn’t even crack NSW Cup last year and gets elevated into the top 30. Would rather see Elliott get that spot

Some speculation in that list - Train and Trial from media

["gaz"]

Also Ethan Roberts was playing Flegg and on our supplementary list (development)

[Schooner]

Roosters web site has Toby Rodwell listed in top squad but no mention of Xavier Vaa or Salesi Foketi. Still 5 spots to go

[bondi paul]

Perhaps tabloid journo Michael Chammas can fill in the gaps.. Accordingly he apparently knows everything about our players and their contracts and who is coming and going.

["gaz"]

Roosters web site has Toby Rodwell listed in top squad but no mention of Xavier Vaa or Salesi Foketi. Still 5 spots to go

Toby is definitely on the train and trial list.
And I would put money on the other two being there