With Boyd Cordner forced into an early retirement due to ongoing concussion issues, fans are increasingly curious to see where the Roosters' future lies. Following Cordner's departure, the Roosters have plenty of salary cap space and are reportedly looking at a long-term contract extension for second-rower Angus Crichton.
It's unclear at this stage how long the contract for Crichton may be for, but according to a Fox Sports report, he is a high priority for the Roosters recruitment and retention team.
While the Roosters have always been able to attract star players, they also need have the need to focus their energy on retaining a portion of their existing roster. The Roosters need to find a way to replace Cordner, their former captain, long-term however.
The man for the job appears to be 25-year-old Angus Crichton.
Having earned representative honours with Brad Fittler's NSW Blues side, the 25 year old's attacking and defensive presence is alarming. Averaging 141 running metres and 35 tackles per game, Crichton has established himself as one of the top back-rowers in the game.
Second-row
Tackles Made
Tries
Tackle Breaks
If the Chooks are able to extend the 25-year-old's contract they'll have one of the most destructive back rows in the NRL. With Sitili Tupouniua on contract until the end of 2024 and Victor Radley until the end of 2023 the Roosters will need to secure Crichton on another deal as the Riverina native is only signed on until the end of 2022.
Once Luke Keary returns from his ACL injury the Roosters will still have a side that can cause some serious destruction over the next few seasons.
The Roosters core group have only recently won a pair of premierships, and while they missed out on the big dance in 2020 following the retirement of Cooper Cronk, it's still a ludicrously strong team, who, in the face of their injuries, are still likely to play finals this year.
