The Sydney Roosters have reportedly set their sights on Origin stars from the Panthers and Cowboys as they look to replace rugby-bound pair Mark Nawaqanitawase and Angus Crichton. The Tri Colours stars will join the rival code after this season with the hopes of playing for the Wallabies in next year’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.
And it’s understood Trent Robinson’s side have identified North Queensland and Maroons winger Murray Taulagi, plus Penrith’s NSW Origin forward Liam Martin as potential replacements. Martin is contracted at the Panthers until the end of 2027 but a salary cap crunch at the NRL ladder-leaders could open the door for the Roosters to pounce.
The rep back-rower has been a permanent fixture for both the Blues and Kangaroos in recent years, but will be free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1 unless he extends with Penrith before then. But the Panthers will struggle to be able to offer Martin the same sort of deal as their cashed-up rivals such as the Roosters, Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs, who enter the NRL in 2028.
Martin is reportedly open to the idea of moving to PNG, with Penrith teammate Mitch Kenny understood to be close to agreeing a deal to join the Chiefs. But fresh reports have emerged that the cashed-up Roosters are also interested in luring Martin to Bondi, with the departures of Nawaqanitawase and Crichton freeing up plenty of salary cap space on their roster.
Veteran winger Daniel Tupou and skipper James Tedesco are also both edging closer to the end of their NRL careers. And it could present the Roosters with a massive war chest to spend as Robinson looks to revamp his squad in the coming seasons.
Emerging edge forward Siua Wong has reportedly re-signed with the Roosters, although the club has yet to confirm his new deal. But Robinson is eager to make more additions to the Roosters’ forward pack and the tough-tackling, hard-working Martin would be a valuable acquisition. He’d also be a classy replacement for rep teammate Crichton in the back row.
Roosters linked with off-contract Cowboy Murray Taulagi
News Corp reports that the Roosters have also been linked with a move for off-contract Cowboys winger Taulagi, who has yet to be offered a new deal at North Queensland beyond this season. The Maroons winger has started the season strongly with six tries in five games for the resurgent Cowboys, who seem in no rush to extend the free agent after reportedly pushing back contract talks to next month.
The Roosters could view Taulagi as an ideal replacement for Nawaqanitawase next season, or Tupou when he calls time on his career. Robinson’s side already picked up Tommy Talau and Cody Ramsey in the off-season and Reuben Garrick is joining from Manly next year to bolster the Roosters’ depth in their outside backs.
But the addition of Taulagi would give Robinson another classy option with rep experience in what is set to be a new-look backline in 2027. Taulagi has played eight games for the Maroons and starred in their 2024 Origin series triumph. But an injury ruled him out of Game 1 for Queensland last year and he was overlooked by Billy Slater for the remainder of the series as the Maroons claimed back-to-back series wins.
