New signing on horizon

[Bates]

[QUOTE=Schooner;n1083901]I've been told the club want to prioritize juniors we have spent a lot of money on instead of buying back up players from outside. If we keep buying players the youngsters may leave before we get any value out of them. We have a lot of young forwards coming through. Might make this year tough[/QUOTE]


Interviewer : What's your prediction for the fight?
Mr T : Prediction?
Interviewer : Yes, prediction.
Mr T : Pain

["gaz"]

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.
Fatima Kdouh
Daily Telegraph
January 26, 2025 - 4:40PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...e05f013736c966



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.

[Chook2]

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.
Fatima Kdouh
Daily Telegraph
January 26, 2025 - 4:40PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...e05f013736c966



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.

Interesting one with manu
id love him to come back and we have the cap for it
also coverage if Teddy gets injured
however he will have a big battle to get a centre spot back - if Billy and toia stay fit and Marky N is quality which I think he will be Manu will be in a big battle to get the right centre position back

at his best just about the best centre in the game but is not there every week and needs more ball - go looking for the ball more to get the best out of him

["gaz"]

Interesting one with manu
id love him to come back and we have the cap for it
also coverage if Teddy gets injured
however he will have a big battle to get a centre spot back - if Billy and toia stay fit and Marky N is quality which I think he will be Manu will be in a big battle to get the right centre position back

at his best just about the best centre in the game but is not there every week and needs more ball - go looking for the ball more to get the best out of him

I guess we see how we are traveling when the time comes, along with him there could be potentially two more to fit into the side in Walker and Cheese.
It will be an interesting stage of the season

[A Country Member]

Manu is coming back for a late season cameo at hooker. Trent has finally heeded the Pens advice and with Brandon being moved on, potentially by mid-season, the chance has arisen. Together with a season where we’re not favourites, he’s been given approval by the board for the experiment given there’s not much to lose. Ruck it Joe

Now he is the main man for his Japanese union team, Joey has agreed to the positional change. He will then be able to market himself as a scrum half in Rugubi in his future deals.

[SamKerrSimp]

The club shouldn't be bending over for Manu particularly since he's dogged it for the past 2 years and hardly ever got himself involved in the game, thanks for the memories but if you want to return to the NRL go play for the Warriors or someone like that.

[The Sack]

If Manu comes back to the fold, I hope he has learned to pass the ball to his support players. Been hogging the ball the last couple of years and only looks to pass when there is no other option. Too late by then.