Connor Watson and Billy Smith re-sign

[Moose]

Billy for 24 and Connor until the end of 25

[Roosterfarian]

What the hell do they see in Connor that warrants an extension to 2025!!

[Thirteen]

What the hell do they see in Connor that warrants an extension to 2025!!

He must have impressed in rehab.

He had a good run of consecutive games at Newcastle but he never seems to be able to string too many together for us.

I assume he came cheap and probably felt like he owes us after his run of injuries since returning.

And Billy definitely owes us as we continue to re-sign him despite very limited footy.

[The Axe]

Great news. Smart signings. Does that only leave Wong to re sign?

[HunchoRooster]

I do not agree with the Watson re-signing. Seems a top bloke and good representative of the club and has a good utility value but where does he fit into the side?

He does not get into our strongest 17 next season ahead of Sandon. More wasted cap space, he is in the Angus category.

We need to be re-signing May, Sandon and Nat as priorities.

[The Axe]

I do not agree with the Watson re-signing. Seems a top bloke and good representative of the club and has a good utility value but where does he fit into the side?

He does not get into our strongest 17 next season ahead of Sandon. More wasted cap space, he is in the Angus category.

We need to be re-signing May, Sandon and Nat as priorities.

I believe (hope) there is a difference between when easts signs someone and when it’s announced. Perhaps already signed up?

[Rooster90]

What the hell do they see in Connor that warrants an extension to 2025!!

Not only is he a gun middle forward but if you read the members article he spent the entirety of this year mentoring juniors and doing a lot of off field community work.
That kind of support has always valued highly at the Roosters

[mightyrooster]

Only a one year extension for Billy. Looks like he's keeping his options open for the future.

[DP1990]

Only a one year extension for Billy. Looks like he's keeping his options open for the future.

or both he and the club will see how things turn out when Suallii leaves and whether anyone else steps up for a starting left centre role in 2025 e.g, Toia or maybe Tavita Henare-Schuster ? if no one else and Billy has a a solid 2024 season, I don't see why he can't lock down a long-term spot within the club. He just needs to stay fit and healthy.

[Thirteen]

Only a one year extension for Billy. Looks like he's keeping his options open for the future.

I think he’d be happy to use that extra year to prove he’s worth a lot more and earn a decent and longer term contract with the club.

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

I like the term lengths for both. Both players will be hungry for big seasons. If Billy can stay injury free than this could finally be his break out season. Connor IMO offers more value as a forward utility in our 17 than Sandon who will only play hooker off the bench (provided Kez or Sammy don't go down).

[mightyrooster]

I think he’d be happy to use that extra year to prove he’s worth a lot more and earn a decent and longer term contract with the club.

Yep I think you and DP1990 are right. It's hard to say at this stage what will happen with Young and that English guy coming plus Toia and then JS leaving at the end of the year. Toops probably retiring at the end of 2024 as well.

[Roosterfarian]

Not only is he a gun middle forward but if you read the members article he spent the entirety of this year mentoring juniors and doing a lot of off field community work.
That kind of support has always valued highly at the Roosters

Gun forward? Ok.

[Nathan Aboud]

I for one am not happy about these signings.

We let go around 8 players who have played so many games for thus this year and last year only to resign two players who are so injury probe that it is yet again going to do problems to our salary cap. Both players spend the majority of the seasons on the sidelines due to injury, Billy was good for us towards the end of this year only yet to disappoint to get injured again. I cannot remember the amount of games that Connor Watson has played since joining last year, yet I feel that Sandon Smith, Robert Toia, Allan Fitzgibbon and Suia Wong including Tyrell May could be at risk of moving on for these two players who yet will probably spend most of 2024 on the sidelines.

I also think that Michael Jennings (on a train and trial contract) will probably play more games in 2024 that these two put together.

Hope I could be wrong but these two-keep continuing to let this team down and I feel that it will be too late in these contract extensions that we have made a massive mistake and unfortunately, we will lose someone BIG because of this.

[Steggles]

I do not agree with the Watson re-signing. Seems a top bloke and good representative of the club and has a good utility value but where does he fit into the side?

He does not get into our strongest 17 next season ahead of Sandon. More wasted cap space, he is in the Angus category.

We need to be re-signing May, Sandon and Nat as priorities.

I’d have to agree with you on Watson; he’s a depth player only given there’s so many in front of him. His utility value diminished greatly with the emergence of Sandon Smith.