The Sydney Roosters are set to continue their aggressive pursuit of rugby union talent as they plan for a significant reshaping of their roster over the coming seasons.
Already preparing to welcome Daly Cherry-Evans and Reece Robson, the Tricolours are bracing for further change with several senior stars coming off contract across the next two years.
Angus Crichton and Daniel Tupou headline a group of Roosters players without deals beyond 2026 while additional squad members are uncontracted past the 2027 season.
As part of their long-term planning, the Roosters are thought to once again looking to the rival 15-man code for elite athletic talent capable of transitioning to the NRL, something they have successfully done in recent years.
The club will lose 2025 Ken Irvine Medallist Mark Nawaqanitawase back to rugby union at the end of the 2026 season, but that success has only stoked their appetite for similar signings.
Nawaqanitawase was a revelation in 2025 as one of the most exciting backs in the competition, scoring the try of the year and capping it off with Kangaroos selection.
There remains strong belief the Roosters are looking to bring Nawaqanitawase back to the NRL in the future and have the cap room to mount a second poaching of his services once the Rugby World Cup concludes.
In a similar vein, the Tricolours are expected to keep the door open for Joseph Suaalii and Joey Manu should either look to return to rugby league after their stints in rugby union, with both insisting any return to the NRL would only be for the Roosters.
Speaking on Triple M Breakfast previously, News Corp journalist Brent Read has revealed previously the Roosters have recently been linked to Wallabies and NSW Waratahs star Max Jorgensen as a potential recruitment target.
Read suggested the Roosters could make a play for Jorgensen following the 2027 Rugby World Cup as part of a broader strategy to continue target elite rugby union backs.
Jorgensen has been linked to a potential NRL switch for several years and previously attracted interest from the Roosters in both 2022 and 2024, but the recent news seems to carry much more weight than before.
The young winger, whose father Peter Jorgensen played rugby league for Eastern Suburbs and Penrith, has already stated any code switch would not occur before the home World Cup.
The Roosters’ recruitment has remained aggressive, and Nawaqanitawase has shown how successful rugby union talent can be when transitioning to the NRL.
There is little doubt the Roosters have plans in place to remain premiership contenders, and if they successfully lure top-line rugby union talent like Jorgensen, while also welcoming back stars such as Manu, Nawaqanitawase or Suaalii, they will continue to be a force in the NRL.
The Tricolours appear well positioned to keep using rugby union as a key recruitment pathway in the years ahead, and it may only be a matter of time before another cross-code signing is confirmed.
If those recruits enjoy even half the success Nawaqanitawase delivered last season, rival clubs will be on notice.
