The Roosters have secured the services of Junior Tupou in a mid-season swoop, prising the young winger from the Dolphins just hours before the June 30 deadline.
Tupou’s exit, after only two appearances for the Redcliffe-based side, comes as the Tricolours look to patch up their backline following Dom Young’s abrupt departure to Newcastle.
The 22-year-old's move, as reported by the Daily Telegraph, is expected to be ticked off immediately and caps off a busy 48 hours in the player movement space.
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The deal frees up space in the Dolphins’ backline and potentially fast-tracks Selwyn Cobbo’s move from Brisbane. Cobbo has already committed to joining the Dolphins in 2025, but discussions are ongoing for a possible early release, with club officials set to speak again on Sunday in a final push before the transfer window closes.
Tupou's journey: from Tigers to Roosters via Redcliffe
The move caps off a short-lived Dolphins stint for Tupou, who joined on a three-year deal following a solid run with the Tigers.
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Despite being named to start against Souths this weekend, he was pulled from the side ahead of his switch to Bondi.
Veteran Rooster Daniel Tupou is also weighing up retirement, adding further urgency to the Roosters’ push for backline depth. Junior Tupou, with 34 NRL games and 10 tries to his name, now has the chance to carve out a longer-term role in the famous red, white and blue.