Former Sydney Roosters star and former Golden Boot winner Joseph Manu is already being linked with a return to the NRL after departing the competition at the end of last season to take up an opportunity in Japanese rugby union.
A mainstay of the Roosters and New Zealand Kiwis line-up over the past nine seasons, the two-time premiership winner decided to exit the 13-man code after 181 appearances and 17 international Tests.
However, his tenure in rugby union could be over sooner than expected, with his club Toyota Verblitz, only managing one victory in their first seven matches and the ex-centre struggling to find a lot of the ball.
According to Wide World of Sports, Manu seems certain to return to the NRL in the middle of the 2025 NRL season after telling his former Roosters teammates that he is struggling to adjust to the nation's food, lifestyle and language.
While he only signed with Toyota Verblitz on a one-year contract, the 2023 Golden Boot winner has an option in his deal to allow him to remain in the 15-man sport for an extra season, but he could decide not to take the option, per a previous News Corp report.
If this is the case, the Sydney Roosters have until June 30 to finalise their Top 30 roster, which gives him plenty of time to make a decision with the rugby union competition coming to an end in May.
It is understood that the club are set to leave a vacant spot on their Top 30 roster if Manu does decide to make an NRL return.
Last year, former NRL Great and Immortal Andrew Johns believed that Manu would not return to the NRL game after taking a similar route to that of Sonny Bill Williams.
"I don't think he will (comeback)," Johns said on Immortal Behaviour in April.
"I'd imagine that the All Blacks would be watching this really closely. He has a similar skillset to Sonny when Sonny Bill changed over (to rugby union).
"Sonny's skill set changed in the way he played, with the one arm offloads. Joey Manu is that sort of player.
"So I'd say that the All Blacks will be watching closely."
