Crichton quietly hits open NRL market as Roosters consider parting ways

State of Origin second-rower Angus Crichton could part ways with the Sydney Roosters at the end of the 2022 NRL season, with the tricolours star now quietly on the market despite reports he signed a two-year extension last year.

It has since been revealed that two season deal doesn’t actually exist.

Without the 2023-2024 package, Crichton will be a free agent come November 2022, and can actually already talk to NRL rivals now to lock in a deal before the end of the year. The Sporting Base understands the Roosters are still considering an offer, but on way less coin than the $720,000-a-season the Temora junior is currently getting.

The signing of Brandon Smith has had a major effect on that offer. The Melbourne hooker-come-impact forward is joining the tricolours from 2023 and commands a decent little pay packet for his services following his agreed-upon Sydney swap.

The other factor is Crichton’s hefty slip in footy form this year.

The 26-year-old joined the Roosters from the club’s arch-rivals Rabbitohs in 2018 for major money. From 2019 to 2021 the second-rower certainly justified the cash in the NRL and the Origin arena. To start 2022, however, Crichton lost his way out on the field and was eventually stripped of a starting spot by coach Trent Robinson.

He’s battled his way back into the starting pack these last few weeks, but even post-return the 122-game star hasn’t lit up the game quite like he did when signing his $700,000-plus contract years ago.

One potential landing spot for Crichton is actually a code-swap; the 2026 Rugby World Cup is already appearing on the horizon, and a four-season run-in could be enough to earn Angus a jersey with the Wallabies. The switch would make sense considering the Roosters’ start in union, but which club he would land at is a major question mark.

The Waratahs certainly don’t have the coin for a Crichton pick-up.

There is still a chance Crichton, the Roosters, and his player manager David Rawlings can still find an accord, but the 26-year-old could keep his paycut closer to today’s weekly injections with another NRL club.

Two clubs whose front offices are already rumbling to life are the Tigers and Dragons.

Wests have already signed Isaiah Papali’i but are losing Luciano Leilua (Cowboys) and Kelma Tuilagi (Manly Sea Eagles), leaving a major gap in their starting second row heading into the next campaign.

The other interested party—early on, at least, because more are expected to join the hunt—is the St George Illawarra Dragons. Anthony Griffin has shipped Tariq Sims out of the side, leaving a spot glaring open for a veteran representative star that could lead the rest of the squad in the coach’s physical game plan.

Crichton still has at least six months with the Roosters before he’s a free agent.

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