The Sydney Roosters have just nine players contracted for 2025, and a number of important, potentially club and future-defining decisions to make.
As it stands on November 1, Trent Robinson's side has decisions to make on 12 players coming off-contract at the end of 2024, not to mention a handful of players they still need to sign for 2024 that may only be included on one-year contracts.
What is clear is that for Joseph Manu - who is one of the biggest names off-contract - the Roosters will need to hope the lure of winning games is enough, given they won't be able to offer him as much money, or the same position on the park as rivals.
The likes of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Daniel Tupou are also off-contract at the end of 2024 and approaching the end of their careers, while Angus Crichton has a big call to make.
Then there is the pack of young forwards. Siua Wong, Nat Butcher and Terrell May - the Roosters will be desperate to re-sign all three, but money may be an issue.
Brandon Smith's player option that he may or may not take is another issue.
In this series, Zero Tackle are running the rule over every NRL team's state of play for 2025 and the players they need to target in free agency.
Current squad for 2025
Egan Butcher, Lindsay Collins, Spencer Leniu, Tyler Moriarty, Victor Radley, James Tedesco, Robert Toia, Sam Walker, Dominic Young
Current best 17 for 2025
1. James Tedesco
2. Dominic Young
3. Robert Toia
4. No player signed.
5. No player signed.
6. No player signed.
7. Sam Walker
8. Lindsay Collins
9. Tyler Moriarty
10. Spencer Leniu
11. Egan Butcher
12. No player signed.
13. Victor Radley
14. No player signed.
15. No player signed.
16. No player signed.
17. No player signed.
Players off-contract at end of 2024
Nat Butcher, Angus Crichton, Luke Keary, Joseph Manu, Terrell May, Lewis Murphy, Brandon Smith (player option), Sandon Smith, Joseph Suaalii, Daniel Tupou, Sitili Tupouniua, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Naufahu Whyte, Siua Wong
Here are five players available to negotiate on November 1 from outside of the club the Roosters could target for 2025 and beyond.
EVERY PLAYER OFF-CONTRACT AT THE END OF 2024
The Roosters will (likely) lose Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to retirement at the end of the 2024 campaign, and while Spencer Leniu is joining a year ahead of that, the Roosters are going to need more re-enforcements in the front row for 2025.
But given they have plenty of youth already at the club - provided they can make some re-signings from their current list - so that's not what they are going for.
Instead, they need a seasoned professional who can lead from the front, even if only for a single extra season.
Thomas Burgess could be that man. We have already suggested the Newcastle Knights should be another club making a play for him in this series, but now, the Roosters could come to the party as well.
It has become more and more evident that the Rabbitohs won't have the space to retain Burgess in 2025, and while he could move back to England, he still has enough in his game to compete at NRL level, and entice other clubs to make a play for him.
Burgess on a Roosters' bench behind Leniu and Lindsay Collins would give the tri-colours a ferocious middle third rotation in 2025.
The Roosters will almost certainly be looking for another option in the halves come the start of the 2025 season. Luke Keary is off-contract at the end of 2024, and there are no guarantees he will play on into 2025. If he does, there are even less guarantees that it would be with the Roosters.
Money is likely to be the biggest roadblock if the Roosters were to make a move for Luai. He is going to get a million dollars per season on the open market, and, if the most recent reports are to be believed, then he would even earn himself about $850,000 by staying at the Panthers.
The Roosters would probably be able to match that lower figure, but with big-money contracts already locked in for some players, and others likely to re-sign on big money, this isn't going to be a case of take the cheque book out and ask the player to write a number.
That said, if the Roosters are going to excel moving forward, they need a strong option to form the halves partnership moving forward alongside Luke Keary.
We all know exactly what Jarome Luai can bring to a side, even if that has been in the Penrith side, and ultimately, he wins games of footy.
That is what the Roosters need, but matching other clubs on money will be a struggle.
Nick Meaney has been superb since he made the switch from the Canterbury Bulldogs to the Victorian capital to take up a contract with the Melbourne Storm.
2023 saw him add another string to his bow, becoming one of the NRL's most consistent fullbacks where he took over from the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen.
The Storm will no doubt be desperate to retain his services, but there is less than a guarantee of that happening given Sua Fa'alogo's emergence, and the fact wingers Will Warbrick and Xavier Coates are now set in their starting 17 positions.
That said, Meaney could be looking for a switch back to Sydney, and the Roosters, with questions right through their backline both short and long-term, could do a lot worse than signing Meaney.
It's fairly clear the Roosters are going to be potentially looking for new signings in the outside backs.
We have just touched on the why, but Kayal Iro could be setting up for one of the biggest signing frenzies in recent times.
He has made it relatively clear he wants to play first-grade football, and so should he. He is far too talented to be running around in reserve grade for much longer.
That said, he was linked with an exit from the Sharks during 2023, but it never came to be.
The Roosters are a club who would likely have plenty of minutes for Iro, whether that be at centre or on the wing, while if they lose Manu, he would also automatically become the second-choice fullback, potentially taking over from Tedesco following his retirement.
The Roosters are likely going to be waiting for an answer from Brandon Smith for some time, and young gun hooker Tyler Moriarty is also at the club.
That said, they aren't going to be able to walk out to the open market and sign a big-name, big-money dummy half option.
Instead, they need someone who can fill the role, and run around in the middle third of the park at lock forward if needed. Jake Simpkin fits all of that criteria.
He has served strongly behind Apisai Koroisau at the Panthers, and while it's unclear whether he would switch clubs to fill a similar role, learning from Trent Robinson and the coaching staff at Bondi could be the best thing for his career.