Sam Verrills is set to return to the Sydney Roosters in 2027 on a one-year development deal reportedly worth about $80,000, and the price tag has left plenty of NRL fans scratching their heads.
The Daily Telegraph reported the move, which would take the 27-year-old hooker back to the club where he started his career and won the 2019 premiership. The Roosters had not announced the signing at the time of writing.
According to the reports, the club plans to upgrade Verrills to a Top 30 contract during the 2027 season, news.com.au said.
From grand final hooker to development deal
Verrills played 48 games for the Roosters, including the 2019 grand final win over the Canberra Raiders, when he started at hooker and scored a try. He joined the Gold Coast Titans in 2023 and played 69 games there, taking his NRL tally to 117.
He began 2026 as the Titans’ first-choice hooker but lost the No.9 jersey to youngster Oliver Pascoe under coach Josh Hannay, and the club didn’t offer him a new contract.
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Super League clubs were keen. Love Rugby League reported that St Helens were close to a deal last month before turning to Canberra hooker Tom Starling, while Catalans Dragons were also believed to be interested.
Why the price has raised eyebrows
Development contracts are usually used for young players outside a club’s Top 30 squad, so a deal of this size for a 117-game hooker has drawn plenty of attention.
“How can the NRL have notional values for players, but allow a player like Verrills to be on a ‘development’ deal?” Brendan Foley wrote on X, as quoted by news.com.au.
news.com.au also noted that the Roosters had done nothing wrong in offering the deal.
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Where he fits at the Roosters
Reece Robson is the Roosters’ first-choice hooker, and Zero Tackle reported that Verrills is likely to compete with Benaiah Ioelu for the back-up dummy-half role following Connor Watson’s exit at the end of the 2026 season.
Verrills is expected to begin pre-season with the Roosters late next month, according to news.com.au.
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