Sydney Roosters dummy half Brandon Smith has shut down the idea of playing for the North Queensland Cowboys from the start of 2026.
Currently recovering from an ACL injury, Smith will miss the first half of the 2025 campaign after failing to live up to the potential he was signed for over his first two years in tri-colours.
The New Zealand international is off-contract at the end of the 2025 campaign and has been able to negotiate since November 1.
While he is keen on remaining at the Roosters, that has seemed unlikely, with the tri-colours linked to making a play for North Queensland Cowboys hooker Reece Robson in recent times.
The Cowboys will want to retain Robson, but the pulling power of the Roosters who could bring Robson back to Sydney could be a big boost in the race for the New South Wales State of Origin rake's services.
Smith though, speaking on The Bye Round Podcast with James Graham confirmed he has no interest in joining the Cowboys, and said he "couldn't be forced."
โThere's a few clubs we've spoken to and Cowboys wasn't one of them,โ Smith said on The Bye Round podcast.
โI don't think that option's really come up.
โ(The Robson rumour) doesn't really change anything for me at the moment.
โI still want to be at the Roosters, still want to be around Sydney, still want to be on The Bye Round podcast, don't want to be in Townsville in this blistering heat.
โTo be fair, they can't force me to go there.โ
Smith said he doesn't want to think about changing clubs, and will fight for his spot at the Roosters when he is back on the park.
The timeline of that return will make things difficult for Smith though, with the Roosters potentially looking to make a contract decision for the future before he returns from the ACL injury.
