2025 Preview: Sydney Roosters

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Adam Huxtable looks at where the Roosters go in 2025 after a huge list of departing players at the end of last season.

Rebuilding Roosters Look to Turn Page in 2025

2025 will be the first year of a new era for the Roosters, who in 2024 said goodbye to stalwarts from their premiership years such as Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Joseph Manu, as well as other contributors in Joseph Suaalii and Terrell May. The only player signed externally to combat this exodus was Chad Townsend, who's role will be larger than first anticipated thanks to the late injury to Sam Walker.

It's an offseason that has left many tipping the Roosters for a steep decline in 2025, and for the first time in almost a decade it doesn't seem a pre-season fait accompli that the tri-colours will finish the year inside the top 8. The approach marks the end to an exciting but ultimately underwhelming 5 year stretch after the retirement of Cooper Cronk which saw the Roosters always knocking but never banging the premiership door down. Last year saw them return to the preliminary finals for the first time since 2019, but a heavy defeat at the hands of eventual Grand Final losers the Storm was the latest of many signs that it was time to turn the page.

The lack of expectations will be a refreshing new feeling for the majority of people inside the Roosters building. The degree to which the losses to the playing roster outnumber the gains means that several players who have been in the squad in the past will pick up a larger workload, and the opportunity to prove themselves whilst not being burdened by the spotlight that's been blinding Easts for a good few years now will no doubt be relished.

How the Roosters fare in 2025 will depend largely on how they're able to cover the losses of spine players Sam Walker and Brandon Smith for the first four months or so. Both went down with ACL injuries in a late season game against Canberra last year and will be hoping that their team is still in a competitive position when they eventually make their returns to the field. 

Why They'll Win It

Don't let the off-season narratives sway you too much: at full strength, this is still an extremely talented Roosters side. Of the three contenders to fill the two centre spots in Mark Nawaqanitawase, Billy Smith and Robert Toia, there is at the very least enough to hold down a couple of edges in defence, and in time as combinations gel the attack could pose a real threat down the stretch. The experienced head of Chad Townsend will be invaluable in helping Sandon Smith to mature as a first-grade half before Sam Walker returns and elevates the team to premiership contention. Spencer Leniu will thrive with the chance to consistently start in the front row for the first time in his career, while established stars such as Tedesco, Crichton and Radley will all stay injury free and maintain a high floor for the team throughout the year. 

While all of this may seem unlikely, it's not completely out of the realms of possibility, and there is precedent in sport for teams to flourish with the freedom that comes from big names moving on. The Roosters have made a habit of falling short of high expectations in recent years, wouldn't the defiance of lower expectations be a mere continuation of the pattern?

Why they Won't

Let's be real, if the Roosters couldn't win the comp with all the stars that have recently left the club, what chance do they have without them? The recruitment strategy off the field seems to have been focused on putting together a contender for 2026 and beyond, and it's very rare for a team that isn't "all-in" on the current season to even come close to winning a premiership. The halfback and hooker are the two most important positions in today's NRL, and both starters in those positions are missing for the majority of the year, a predicament that teams further along than the Roosters would struggle mightily to navigate. The Panthers and Storm, barring something unforeseen, will be competing in the 2025 NRL season, and the Roosters have a combined one win against both those outfits since the covid pandemic took hold of the world. In Spencer Leniu's limited time filling in as a starting prop last year, it became clear why he's been coming off the bench his entire career. 

2025 fixture list

Key Players

Being the last man standing from the full strength 2024 spine to start the year, James Tedesco will likely take up an increased role in the Roosters attack, and that hasn't always yielded positive results. At various stages over the last few years when the Roosters were heavily impacted by injuries, Tedesco has tended to overplay his hand and not trust those around him to do their jobs. With Sandon Smith and Connor Watson each spending a lot of time on the field last year, and Chad Townsend being as experienced as he is, the entirety of the attack shouldn't be dependent on Tedesco, but old habits are incredibly easy to slip back into. 

Rookies

With the injury history of Billy Smith, it's hard to see a scenario where young centre Robert Toia spends a lot of time in the centres for the Roosters in 2025. Toia has represented the Queensland under 19s side and scored four tries in his six NSW cup games last season. No one's expecting him to come in and be Joseph Manu right away, and there will no doubt be deficiencies that emerge in Toia's game as he's exposed to NRL calibre opposition each week, but if he can show steady improvement over the course of the season there's no reason he can't enter 2026 as the unquestioned long term Roosters centre. 

The departures of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Terrell May leave a lot of output to be replaced in the front row, and while Spencer Leniu is set to start, De La Salle Va'a has the inside track to begin the year on the interchange bench. He had one game in first grade last year against Souths, making 8 runs for 97 metres and two tackle breaks in his 19 minutes of action. He'll have the opportunity to be a major contributor not only for the Roosters run home but in years to come.

Player Movement

IN: Chad Townsend (North Queensland)

TOP 30: Angus Crichton, Billy Smith, Blake Steep, Brandon Smith, Chad Townsend, Connor Watson, Daniel Tupou, De La Salle Va'a, Dominic Young, Egan Butcher, James Tedesco, Junior Pauga, Lindsay Collins, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Nat Butcher, Naufahu Whyte, Robert Toia, Sam Walker, Sandon Smith, Siua Wong, Spencer Leniu, Toby Rodwell, Tyler Moriarty, Victor Radley

OUT: Joseph Sua'ali'i, Joseph Manu (rugby union), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Hull KR), Luke Keary (Catalans), Sitili Tupouniua (Canterbury), Terrell May (Wests Tigers), Michael Jennings (retired), Zach Dockar-Clay (unsigned)

DEVELOPMENT: Xavier Va'a, Beniah Loelu, Hugo Savala, Jake Elliott, Reece Foley

Likely 17 for Round 1

1. James Tedesco (c)
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Mark Nawaqanitawase
4. Robert Toia
5. Dom Young
6. Sandon Smith
7. Chad Townsend
8. Spencer Leniu
9. Connor Watson
10. Lindsay Collins
11. Angus Crichton
12. Victor Radley
13. Naufahu Whyte

14. Egan Butcher
15. Nat Butcher
16. Siua Wong
17. De La Salle Va'a