The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis has revealed that Sydney Roosters star Joey Manu is exploring his options around a code switch in Japanese rugby.
The gun centre is off-contract at the end of 2024 and is currently free to negotiate another deal with a rival NRL club or rival code.
Speaking on SEN, Carayannis said the move to Japan could be as short as one season with Manu likely to return to the Roosters as a way to alleviate salary cap constraints for the club.
“The Roosters need to do this to keep Joey Manu at the club,” Carayannis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“They can’t pay him what he is worth on the open market.
“He would nudge $1 million because he’s got a few years left with Joseph Suaalii gone and James Tedesco might not be there by the time (Manu) retires.
“The Roosters have a lot of veterans off contract at the end of next year. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary and Angus Crichton.
“If he does come back to the NRL in May (at the end of the rugby season), which is halfway through the season.
“He can’t come back for $150,000 but he’ll come back for half a million. With the $1.5-$1.6 million that he would earn from rugby, that’s around $2 million.
“This isn’t a given. The Roosters are still confident they can keep Manu without any Japanese rugby influence.”
The move to Japanese rugby would also put an end to the St George Illawarra Dragons’ pursuit of the Kiwi international as the club have been vocal about the $1.3 million offer that they would be prepared to offer him.
Carayannis believes the Dragons are not even remotely in the hunt for Manu’s services and were baiting him with a large offer.
“This is not one that the Dragons have missed out on.
"They definitely missed out on Addin Fonua-Blake and Tom Dearden. They were definitely in the market for those two.
“With Manu, it was ambitious and if it came down to push and shove and Manu was ready to leave the Roosters, the Dragons said that they were ready for him.
“They were dangling a little carrot just in case.
“That was the Dragons trying to take their shot and I have no issue with that.”
The Roosters are one of the four teams headed to Las Vegas to kick off the season at Allegiant Stadium on March 3.
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