NRL best 17s for 2025: Sydney Roosters

You never want to write a team off before the season gets underway, but for the Sydney Roosters, that might well be the barrel they are staring down heading into 2025.

They have lost millions of dollars of talent, haven't made a serious attempt to replace any of it, and have two of their best injured for at least the first half of the season after going down with ACL injuries during Round 26 of the 2024 campaign.

That all said, there will be opportunities for young talent to stand up at the Roosters, with the club building towards 2026.

Trent Robinson will almost certainly be dangling the carrot of opportunity in front of a host of players to push for a role the following year, while trying in vain to keep his tri-colours outfit competitive throughout 2025.

Here is how we expect the Bondi-based outfit to line up throughout 2025.

Recruitment report

Ins: Toby Rodwell (2028), Chad Townsend (North Queensland Cowboys, 2025)

Outs: Kahu Capper (New Zealand Warriors), Michael Jennings (retired), Luke Keary (Catalans Dragons), Joseph Manu (rugby union), Terrell May (Wests Tigers), Lewis Murphy (St Helens Saints), Dylan Napa (retired), Joseph Suaalii (rugby union), Sitili Tupouniua (Canterbury Bulldogs), Jared Waerea Hargreaves (Hull KR)

Re-signed: Nat Butcher (2027), Lindsay Collins (2028), Angus Crichton (2026), Spencer Leniu (2027), Junior Pauga (2027), Toby Rodwell (2028), Billy Smith (2027), Sandon Smith (2026), Daniel Tupou (2026), Connor Watson (2027), Naufahu Whyte (2026), Siua Wong (2026)

Off-contract at end of 2025: Tyler Moriarty, Brandon Smith, Chad Townsend

Full squad

Egan Butcher, Nat Butcher, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton, Spencer Leniu, Tyler Moriarty, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Junior Pauga, Victor Radley, Toby Rodwell, Billy Smith, Brandon Smith, Sandon Smith, Blake Steep, James Tedesco, Robert Toia, Chad Townsend, Daniel Tupou, De La Salle Va'a, Xavier Va'a, Sam Walker, Connor Watson, Naufahu Whyte, Siua Wong, Dominic Young

Supplementary contracts: Jake Elliott, Reece Foley, Benaiah Ioelu, Hugo Savala

Who plays where?

Fullback
There is no doubt who starts at fullback for the Roosters, with James Tedesco going around again in 2025.

Now removed from the State of Origin set up, he will focus on the Roosters all year, and will likely need a career-best year - if that is even possible given the way he has played at times over his career - for the tri-colours to be anywhere near the finals.

One thing that is going to become evident throughout this is the fact the Roosters are struggling for depth everywhere. They only have 25 players signed to their Top 30 as it stands.

If Tedesco goes down with injury, the Roosters will be scrambling. Sandon Smith, who will be needed elsewhere, could be shifted to fullback if Tedesco does miss any time.

Outside of that, they may look to development player Reece Foley, or even one of their outside backs like Mark Nawaqanitawase, but there are some straws being clutched at there.

Wingers
The wing is one place where the Roosters do look a little bit more solid, with Daniel Tupou and Dominic Young the walk-up starters.

Both players would start just about anywhere else around the competition too, given their uncoachable assets and, in Tupou's case, experience that he brings.

Mark Nawaqanitawase will push for a starting role in the centres, but otherwise will serve as a back-up option on the wing, while Junior Pauga is the other player within the Top 30 who could slot onto the wing if there are issues for the regular starters at Bondi.

Centres
The Roosters will be sweating on Billy Smith getting through a full season with fitness in check after what has been a wretched run of injuries through the first portion of his career.

The other centre spot is going to go to either rugby convert Nawaqanitawase or youngster Robert Toia, who has impressed at every level he has tried his hand at to this point.

Both will undoubtedly see playing time throughout the year, but we are going with Nawaqanitawase to start the year in the centres.

Junior Pauga is again a back-up in the centres for the Roosters, who appear short on depth in their back five.

Halves
Sam Walker will walk into the number seven jersey once he is fit, but for the first half of the season, that won't be the case as he recovers from the ACL injury he copped in Round 26 of 2024.

Chad Townsend, who was signed over the off-season from the North Queensland Cowboys, will take his spot at halfback and needs to find a way to step up for the tri-colours.

He does bring a solid enough kicking game and plenty of experience, but given he was dropped at the back-end of 2024 in Townsville for Jake Clifford, there are plenty of questions over exactly how this is going to work.

Sandon Smith will be the five-eighth for the Roosters, and that should be the way it stays all year unless he is required at fullback - something Trent Robinson will no doubt be keen to avoid.

There is plenty of youth around the fringes of the squad who serve as back-up, led by star in the making Toby Rodwell, and then backed up by development players Jake Elliott and Reece Foley.

Middle forwards
The departure of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Terrell May leaves the Roosters short in the middle third heading into 2025 as well.

Spencer Leniu will need to step up into a starting role which could impact his production after his fearsome performances off the bench throughout 2024.

He will be joined in the starting side by Queensland State of Origin player Lindsay Collins at prop, with Victor Radley to start at lock.

Naufahu Whyte and Egan Butcher can both serve through the middle third while the Va'a brothers - Xavier and De La Salle - could be in the mix for game time throughout the year.

Blake Steep is also in the Top 30 for the first time and could debut this year.

Hooker
Like Sam Walker, Brandon Smith, who is heading into his final year with the Roosters, will be out for at least half the season with an ACL injury picked up during Round 26.

Depth at hooker is passable for the Roosters, with Connor Watson - who served as the utility off the bench for the most part in 2024 - likely to start in his absence.

Tyler Moriarty is the other back up option and could spend the first half of the year off the bench until Smith makes his return.

NRL Rd 25 - Roosters v Rabbitohs — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 02: Connor Watson of the Roosters passes the ball during the round 25 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on September 02, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Edge forwards
Angus Crichton was one of the good news stories in 2024 and should retain his second-row spot heading into 2025 without too much debate.

The other side of the field is a battle of a few, with Nat Butcher formerly a walk-up starter, but struggling for form during 2024.

We are going to give him the spot in the run on side, but the likes of Naufahu Whyte, Egan Butcher and Siua Wong are all in the mix to be picked in the starting side.

Back up options beyond that are limited for the Roosters.

Interchange
At full strength, Connor Watson is the first player picked on the bench, but given he will have to spend the first half of the year at hooker, it's likely Tyler Moriarty will instead have his spot.

Given we have picked Leniu and Nat Butcher in the starting side, it means the other three forward spots come down to the way coach Trent Robinson wants to balance his side.

Naufahu Whyte should be the first picked of the rest given his ability to play edge or middle, and the performances he put on the board in the second half of 2024 in particular.

A specialist second-rower will likely see Siua Wong return to the interchange bench after struggling to hold a spot during the second half of 2024.

The other spot comes down to either Egan Butcher or one of the Va'a brothers. Butcher takes the spot in our side based on his experience, but don't be surprised if Robinson goes for extra size.