Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis has emphatically denied speculation linking the club to Parramatta Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown, taking a swipe at player managers for using the Roosters' name to generate market interest.
Politis, who has long been frustrated by the Roosters' reputation as a destination for off-contract stars, made it clear that the club is not pursuing Brown.
โWe are not interested,โ Politis bluntly told News Corp.
โWhenever a big-name player comes off contract he is linked to us. It's managers just trying to create interest.โ
The Roosters, known for their solid strike-rate in attracting high-profile talent, are often at the centre of transfer rumours.
It's led to a perception that the club is a default option for players seeking leverage in contract negotiations.
Eels star Dylan Brown is set to begin meeting with rival clubs as early as this week.
The 5/8 according to Peter Badel has a meeting set with the Roosters for next week and other clubs soon after that.
Brown is reportedly wanting in excess of 1.1 million dollars a season.
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While the Roosters have been linked to numerous stars in recent years, Politis' firm denial regarding Brown suggests the club is keen to avoid unnecessary distractions ahead of the 2025 season.
That may well come as anything but a surprise too, given the tri-colours find themselves in a difficult spot heading into 2025.
Sam Walker, the future of the number seven jumper, is out injured for the first half of the season, and Sandon Smith will be preparing to take over the number six jumper from Luke Keary, who has departed from the English Super League.
Regardless, the duo are likely the Roosters' future halves combination and with other young talent coming to the club, the distraction, or money being spent, for Brown is simply not needed by the club.
It seems, on the surface at least, the Roosters are putting all their eggs into the 2026 basket having already signed New South Wales State of Origin hooker Reece Robson from the North Queensland Cowboys.