The Wests Tigers have secured one of the Sydney Roosters’ brightest young forwards, signing 20-year-old Ethan Roberts to a two-year deal starting in 2026.
Roberts will enter the Tigers’ system on a development contract before breaking into their Top 30 squad in 2027 as the club continues its roster rebuild.
A Roosters junior hailing from the local Paddington Colts, Roberts has progressed through the club’s lower grades for several years.
A towering 195 cm Indigenous All-Star, he has featured in Harold Matthews, SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup levels before earning extended squad spots and appearances in the NRL pre-season.
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In 12 NSW Cup games this season, he has shown capability both on the edge and in the middle, catching the Tigers’ eye as they fortify their forward pack.
Under Marshall, the Tigers have recruited heavily the past two seasons, most notably the signatures of ex-Panthers Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva.
New coach Benji Marshall welcomed Roberts’ arrival, saying the youngster’s talent will help reinforce their depth for 2026 and beyond, while Roberts himself spoke of his eagerness to grow both on and off the field in the Tigers’ environment.
It is also a sign of the lack of opportunity at the Roosters, with multiple representative forwards in their pack and young stars of the future like Siua Wong and Blake Steep ahead of Roberts, making it difficult to break into first grade.
Moving to the Tigers should see Roberts get a better opportunity to start in the NRL and develop, in what is another signing coup for the club.
Roberts’ signature follows recent announcements of the signings of Javon Andrews, Mavrik Geyer and Jock Madden – in addition to the re-signing of Adam Doueihi – as the club continues to strengthen its squad and depth for the 2026 season.