The Sydney Roosters have reportedly locked down one of their brightest young forwards on a long-term contract extension.
Representing the New Zealand Kiwis for the first time in his career in last year's Pacific Championships, front-rower Naufahu Whyte has taken his game to new levels over the past two seasons.
Only 23 years old, he has already been earmarked as the Roosters forward pack following several high-profile departures at the end of last season headlined by Terrell May and veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
According toย The Sydney Morning Herald's Michael Chammas onย 100% Footy, Whyte is set to ink a three-year contract extension to remain at the Roosters until the end of the 2029 NRL season, putting him out of the grasp of the Perth Bears.
As reported by Chammas, the contract is set to be worth around $750,000 a season.
The news coincides with the club confirming that he suffered an MCL injury during their loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs last week and is set to spend a few weeks on the sidelines as he undergoes further testing.
"He's been so good for us this year. He's been an absolute weapon the way he's played each and every game," Whyte's teammate Victor Radley said earlier this week.
"I'm disappointed we're going to miss him for the next couple of week but he's been the leader of our forward pack and he's done it without ever looking out of place at all.
"Everyone keeps talking who's going to replace Jared? I feel like he's put his hand up probably most in this side to kind of take that role on and he's been a weapon and taking his game to new heights."
The move to lock Whyte up comes after coach Trent Robinson confirmed that the club were in contract re-negotiations to re-sign three of their most impressive young players. Zero Tackleย understands that Blake Steep is one of these players.
"He's real quiet. He's chill, he'll never say no and kind of a real generous bloke, no matter what's going on," Radley added.
"He just does his job and he would do it without question."
