The Sydney Roosters have moved to secure the future of one their most promising forwards, with Naufahu Whyte set to sign a lucrative three-year deal that will keep him at the club through 2029.
On a recent episode of 100 Per Cent Footy, the Sydney Morning Herald's Michael Chammas revealed that the Roosters had taken swift action to ensure Whyte didn't hit the open market later this year.
"Naufahu Whyte, set to sign a three-year extension with the Roosters until the end of 2029, he’s contracted at the moment until the end of 2026. But free agent come November 1," he said.
"The Roosters, they didn’t want him to hit free agency. They know the [Perth] Bears are coming into the competition and they have tied Naufahu Whyte down on a deal."
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The 23-year-old's impending extension comes at a time of increased competition for emerging talent.
With the Perth expansion on the horizon, club's will be looking to lock down their future stars early.
For the Roosters, retaining Whyte signals their commitment to building a roster full of home grown talent, and they're willing to spend big to do it.
"I’m told it’s worth around $750,000 a year. That’s the final year of the broadcast deal. Then there’ll be ratchet clauses obviously, we don’t know what the salary cap is going to be in 2028 and beyond, so it’s a huge deal," said Chammas.
"A guy with a lot of potential and the Roosters feel like he’s going to be their main man going forward."
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The tri-colours currently sit 11th on the premiership ladder and are approaching a pivotal stretch through the Origin period that could dictate their top-eight chances for the season.