Brisbane Broncos wingers Corey Oates and Jamayne Isaako say they haven't heard anything in regards to whispers that James Roberts may join Wayne Bennett at South Sydney next season.

Speculation grew after Benji Marshall called for Roberts to replace Greg Inglis in the Rabbitohs side. Marshall said that South Sydney should be given $1.5 million in salary cap relief to compensate for the loss of Inglis, and the former Bronco believes that Roberts should be the target of South Sydney.

"I have no problem with it (salary cap relief). If he's not there playing, why can't they spend that money and get someone else? And I'd be going after James Roberts," Marshall told Fox Sports.

"Wayne, for a starter, took Jimmy after he had a few issues and pulled him back on the straight and narrow and I just feel like his relationship with Wayne could get that (deal) over the line."

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Oates and Isaako confirmed they were left in the dark in regards to the matter.

"I wouldn't have a clue," Oates said.

"You hear talks about it, but we wouldn't have a clue what's going on.

"We just want him back playing for us, playing his best football and doing whatever he can to get back as soon as possible."

Isaako was more of the same.

"I've been seeing a few articles but I haven't really asked him personally. I wouldn't know too much about his relationship there but hopefully he hasn't," the NRL rookie of the year said.

"He's a big key player for us at the Broncos and hopefully he's not in talks with the Rabbitohs."

Roberts showed good form for the Broncos in 2018. He notched up 22 games last season, as well as earning selection for New South Wales in the State of Origin, playing in all three matches.

As far as Oates is concerned, there is no doubting the talent that the 26-year-old possesses.

"He's got unbelievable talent. hes strong, hes fast, hes athletic, hes got great feet.  To have those types of players in your team is a massive bonus for anyone," he said.

"He's a massive contribution to our team and it would be great to have him back as soon as possible."

Roberts is currently fighting his way back from an achilles tendon injury. He has been sidelined indefinitely by the injury.

30 COMMENTS

  2. Inglis retirement is a 100% scam he knew 2 months ago . he wanted to retire then but the Rabbitohs kept him there so they could scanned the NRL on the salary cap u cant trust anything with Bennett , he’s a sneaky old ba#tard and look everybody’s seem to think GI is a God . Just remember He’s got a passed he got the Australian captaincy and then goes and drink drives or what about the little extras the storm giving him or abit of a fight with his girlfriend. he’s not as innocent as what everybody thinks. He’s just another play who’s retiring so know hand outs should b granted all players 1 day retire.

    • Dutto or Mr. Perfect. Nice to chat to someone who never had done a wrong thing or made a mistake. Must be alot of pressure to live with. Also your 100 per cent sure it’s a scam. Sorry to tell you but your 100 per cent wrong. South’s have been trying to convince GI to play on. He has had enough. That’s it. Maybe you should start writing some fictional novels. You seem to be good at it. Have a good one.

  3. What a joke.
    If the bunnies are allowed to wipe his salary from their cap, every team that has had to carry a retired players salary on their cap should be able to take that out of their current cap.
    Seriously though I can’t see how they can wipe it from their salary when manly couldn’t do it for a couple of their players and Parra couldn’t do it with Watmough.
    It’s a pre existing injury so the bunnies MUST carry it on their books.

  4. Why would any established NRL player want to play for a team that plays away from their own region and has no home ground. souffffths are like a team of Nomad Wanderers Who have one name and play under another. Since when is South of Sydney located out in the Western Suburbs. Bunch of CLOWNS🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Anyway as Roberts stated a few years ago, “He has more speed than Oxforf St” means he will not be coming back to Sydney if he knows what’s good for him.

    • Here you are again Woodchip giving your 2 cents worth in a forum relating to Souths.
      The envy continues LOL.
      To educate you a little, Souths play in different parts of Australia to please the huge following of adoring fans unlike your roosters who struggle at 3rd last on membership tally and home game crowds.
      Get used to the gap widening.

      • Envy is a childish state of mind that people should grow out of. Why would I be envious of souffffths❓❔❓❔😂😂😂😂😂 We at the Roosters are defending premiers and current World Champions. We are 2nd on the table and in front of souffffths so your jealousy theory dosent stand up in court Stevesyd. 💪😂👎

        Memberships don’t mean a thing, If souffffths have 28k of members why don’t they average a home crowd of at least 20k at every game over a full season. 😂😂😂😂😂I have given you the facts and over a 17 year period since souffffths returned from being booted out there home crowd average is only 15,092 between the seasons 2002-2018 while the Roosters is not far behind with 14,452. For a club that has 28,000 plus members to the Roosters 14 500 members its not a great difference that 640 extra people turn up to souffffths games each week than Sydney’s games each week over the past 17 years.😂😂😂😂😂

        As for the Roosters not promoting the game, well I’m delighted to inform you that your story is another one of your made up false accusations. The Roosters play at Adelaide and the Central coast💪🐔👍check out the link below to confirm my accuracy.

        https://afltables.com/rl/crowds/summary.html

    • Woodduck what are you so worried about or is it jealousy. We have always been the South’s Sydney Rabbitohs unlike the rorters (remember Sydney City). Just keep supporting your basically (Radley excepted) bought team. The other fella talking about scamming, like most you don’t know what you are talking about. Just watch the game. Slater, JT, thaiday, Hodges all retired and all working with their clubs still. Why no noise about that. Have a good night.

      • Not worried about anything. At 99yrs of age whats to worry about🤣😆😂💪🐔👍. Inferior people always like to come out with the old “your jealous” line because they don’t like the truth. The truth is we at the mighty Roosters won last years Premiership and knocked souffffths out of the race one game short of the big dance. Keeping the so called best attacking team scoreless. And you call me jealous. Jealousy is for immature people who haven’t learnt to grow up. Or souffffths fans who still cant except you guys were notgood enough last season, by a long way.

        As for inglis he was fit at the start of the year then reports came out that he hurt himself at training with one of his knees, then the next report was he was 15kgs overweight, then the next report was when he lost the weight which he said he was still 5kg over weight that Bennett ask him if he wanted to play fullback. Then the next thing was he got hurt during the Roosters game and then next game his shoulder was giving him grief and he couldn’t tackle.

        Then the next thing was he was rested for a couple of weeks until he recovered then the final bit of information was that he was granted a week off to see where his head was and the next week he announced his retirement.

        Soufffths are trying to pull a swiftie here because his shoulder was wrecked against the Mighty Roosters. Remember he played uninjured and played 20 games last season. This season he gets injured in the first game and then the diagnosis is not even an operation can fix it so he is by retiring trying to free up the salary cap when in reality he is out for the season through injury. Get your hand off it mate. Have a good night.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  6. 100% Scam, I no how Bennett works he coach my team for 20+ years he didn’t wake up last week Bennett would of had this planned from day dot when GI said he was done . Wayne would of told him give him a handful of weeks to work out how to scam the system.

  7. Yea I thought so 👎 A Bennett might b 68 but he’s still a player. It’s funny when Bennett was at the Broncos all use would talk about was the brown paper bag , now he’s at the rabb’s O he wouldn’t do something like that. Come on he’s the best a playing the media and working has 2cents into the NRL rule book, (example Matt Lodge and Roberts) I bet he could get Todd Carney a run back in the nrl.

  8. Why do people have a problem with this? He has walked away from the $1.5 Million, Brett Stewart and Steve Matai were not willing to walk away from the money in their contacts and that’s the difference.

    I would imagine the majority of NRL players would not walk away from that kind of money.

  9. And another lol@siebold+donkeysceo/paulwhite for getting rid of wayne bennett whom has my team souths on tied 1st hows the donkeys doing? Bennett would be giggling his head off bennett still rules.i wonder if paul white looks in the mirror and says we need you back wayne bennett oh sorry paul you got your school mate siebold im happy at souths cheerio…