Roosters star to tour PNG as Chiefs dangle two-year deal

Connor Watson will fly to Port Moresby on Sunday, with the Sydney Roosters representative utility eyeing a potential two-year deal with the PNG Chiefs.

Hot on the heels of Jarome Luai and Alex Johnston signing with the NRL’s 19th franchise, Watson has been in talks with Chiefs’ general manager of football Michael Chammas for several weeks. The planned hit-and-run trip to the country with his partner Kiana proves he is serious about the move.

Watson is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2027, but has the club’s blessing to leave if he can secure a longer-term deal elsewhere.

Should he sign a deal with the Chiefs, Watson will need to find a club for 2027, with St George Illawarra, Manly and even Perth all identified as possible short-term solutions. Watson and his management, however, will not entertain longer-term offers from those clubs until they know what will happen with the Chiefs.

The 29-year-old endured a horror run with injuries in the first half of his career but has been able to stay on the field since 2024, playing a brand of football that earned him an Origin call-up for NSW.

Watson has been named to start at lock against North Queensland in Brisbane on Saturday evening. He will be back in Sydney by Monday when the NSW team is announced for game one of this year’s series.

“Connor is a great player and someone who has shown great resilience throughout his career,” Chammas said. “His leadership qualities and experience are things we could benefit from. We appreciate the Roosters giving him the time to go and visit PNG with his partner, and we look forward to continuing conversations at the right time.”

The Dragons have been heavily linked to Watson, but he has not yet met with interim coach Dean Young.

The Red V remain firm favourites to sign unwanted New Zealand Warriors playmaker Luke Metcalf, especially with the Bulldogs reportedly out of the race and not prepared to pay the $1 million-a-season asking price.

Metcalf was leading the Dally M count last year before he ruptured his ACL and since struggled to reclaim his starting spot at the high-flying Auckland-based club, with Tanah Boyd the preferred No. 7.

In other contract news, Cronulla warhorse Cam McInnes has received serious interest from York, with the Super League club prepared to offer him a three-year deal.

McInnes was weighing up a two-year offer from Perth before the Knights came to the table. The Knights’ Australian owner Clint Goodchild has personally reached out to McInnes.

The 32-year-old had hoped to remain in Sydney, and was even prepared to accept one-year extensions with Cronulla, especially if it meant he was not blocking the path of younger teammates progressing to the top grade. Reports of interest from the Melbourne Storm were wide of the mark.

Johnston out with same knee injury as Koloamatangi

Christian Nicolussi

South Sydney forward Keaon has been playing with a partial tear in his knee, the same injury which has now forced try-scoring record-holder Alex Johnston out of Magic Round in Brisbane.

The Rabbitohs welcome back Latrell Mitchell from a bulging disc in his back for Friday’s clash against the Dolphins.

But Johnston has been given time off to recover from what club sources, who are not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed was a full tear of his PCL in the back of the knee. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape is his replacement.

Koloamatangi has had his right knee heavily strapped since injuring himself in the win over Canterbury on April 3, and joked Johnston was unable to cope with the same pain.

“He’s got the same issue as me, I’m not sure if he is strong enough mentally to play with the injured knee – he’s a winger,” Koloamatangi said.

“Maybe he’s different because he needs to sprint more. I’ll be giving it to him [for not playing]. I’ve got a tear in my PCL, the good thing is you’re able to play with it, but it’s pretty painful,” Koloamatangi said.

“It’s getting better each week. In a perfect world, I need some time off. I can’t needle it because it’s a ligament. I feel like I’ve got a 50-year-old knee. It’s different to the left knee [I had operated on at the end of last season]. You can play without it [the PCL].”

Mitchell was almost reduced to tears because of the pain in his back against the Knights in round nine and missed the win over Cronulla. However, in a boost for NSW and the Rabbitohs, he has been named to line up at Suncorp Stadium.

Koloamatangi said the playing group had taken a lot of confidence knowing they could get the job done without Mitchell against the Sharks.

“Wins are sweeter when you can do it without your big names,” he said. “It’s more of a team effort. We want Latrell there every week. But there was more urgency because we couldn’t just give Latrell the ball if we were down by a few points, and expect him to create some points. He’s someone who can change a game and win you a game.”

Cronulla have received a double boost with winger Ronaldo Mulitalo to play his first game of the season against Canterbury on Thursday. Mulitalo ruptured his ACL while on international duty with New Zealand last October.

Jesse Ramien (knee) is also back on deck, while Jayden Berrell replaces Blayke Brailey at hooker, with the Sharks’ favourites’ 139-game streak ending because of concussion.

Jamal Fogarty (groin) is back for Manly, with Joey Walsh relegated to a six-man Sea Eagles’ bench for their clash with Wests Tigers, who have named Latu Fainu at hooker.

Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds (concussion) will make a timely return for Sunday’s clash with the Warriors, while the Dragons have lost rookie halfback Kade Reed to a hand injury for the next few months.