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NRL news: Rooster Siosiua Taukeiaho spurns Dolphins for Catalans

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  • NRL news: Rooster Siosiua Taukeiaho spurns Dolphins for Catalans

    A two-time premiership winning Rooster is ready to quit the Chooks and is eyeing off deals in the Super League and with the Dolphins.

    Star prop Siosiua Taukeiaho is set to quit the Roosters as the two-time premiership winner weighs up Super League offers and a $1.2 million poaching bid from Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins.

    Ambushed by the Roosters in the battle for Brandon Smith, the Dolphins have hit back, entering negotiations with Taukeiaho to lure the Tongan Test star from Bondi to Brisbane for their foundation year in 2023.

    The Dolphins last week unveiled Queensland Origin back-rower Felise Kaufusi as their first signing – and now super coach Bennett is gunning for Taukeiaho.

    At least two Super League clubs are also circling as Taukeiaho mulls over a Bondi exit.

    Off-contract next season, Taukeiaho is one of the NRL’s most talented props and is exploring a number of options, including the prospect of reuniting with former Roosters teammate Mitchell Pearce at Catalans.

    The 29-year-old is tipped to defect to Super League, but the Dolphins are keen to win the signature of Taukeiaho, formally expressing interest in the classy prop armed with a two-year offer worth around $600,000 a season.

    The Roosters want to retain Taukeiaho, but it is understood the 150-game stalwart is keen for a change of scenery in 2023 after a decorated career at Bondi that delivered back-to-back premiership rings in 2018-19.

    The Dolphins were confident of securing Smith, but the Roosters got under the guard of the NRL’s expansion newcomers, prevailing in a five-way bidding war for the matchwinning Melbourne hooker.

    However, the Roosters’ three-year, $2 million-plus bid for the Kiwi Test rake has put further pressure on their salary cap, opening the door for the Dolphins to square the ledger by poaching Taukeiaho from the Tri-colours.

    Taukeiaho, who turns 30 in January, is expected to make a definitive call next week and he would be a superb second signing for the Dolphins to join Kaufusi at the NRL’s 17th team.

    A veteran of 11 Tests for Tonga, Taukeiaho is one of the most skilled front-rowers in the code, goalkicking at 78 per cent last season and charging for 2745 metres at an average of 130m per game in 2021.

    The Auckland-born bookend would be the perfect man to spearhead the Dolphins’ engine room in 2023, but the Roosters are certain to fight hard to stop Taukeiaho moving to Queensland or overseas.

    Taukeiaho has a long association with new Dolphins recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan, the former Roosters talent scout who first lured ‘TKO’ to Bondi from the Warriors in 2015.

    Bennett is a fan of Taukeiaho’s natural talent and workrate.

    he Dolphins coach told News Corp last week the new NRL franchise is staying calm despite failing to snare Queensland Origin duo Christian Welch and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who signed new deals with the Storm and Titans respectively.

    “No-one is panicking,” Bennett said.

    “No one is going to pull the trigger too early. It will take time. We will have a team ready to go this time next year. I hope over the next few months (we will have more signings).

    “We’re talking to a number of players. We’ve been good as a club, we’ve kept our mouth shut.

    “If you’re playing football and coming off-contract you could be a candidate for the Dolphins.”

    Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said the Redcliffe-backed organisation were not concerned by missing out on a number of targets, including Roosters recruit Smith.

    “Brandon’s management informed us that he would not be accepting our offer so we have moved on,” he said.

    “We won’t be commenting publicly on current player negotiations but we are currently in ongoing talks with several players.

    “As a club, we are very comfortable where we are positioned almost one year away from the start of pre-season and 15 months away from our first game in 2023.”


  • #2
    Roosters really want him out. It’s rubbish that they want to retain him.

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    • #3
      He is a player you could build a new franchise around. Quality plus.

      Oh shit, why is he going then? Might be some legs in this Haas spec.

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      • #4
        Can’t be losing Liu, SST, JWH after 2023 without a replacement or two..

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        • #5
          Hmmm, I wonder why the might be trying to clear the decks a little at the moment.

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          • #6
            I don’t think he ever got his knee right. I hope I’m wrong but I thought he looked less effective last season and may not get any better going forward.

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            • #7
              Injury seems to have cruelled him. Stop start career full of promise but never reached the dizzy heights we thought he would.
              Exonerate the West Memphis Three - www.wm3.org

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              • #8
                I love bit where it says it's understood he's keen for a change of scenery but there is mentioning this no quotes mentioning this

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Billy Gunn View Post
                  I love bit where it says it's understood he's keen for a change of scenery but there is mentioning this no quotes mentioning this
                  If anything I think it’s mutual.. the club might have noticed the big fella has hit his ceiling and a change might do him good… he could be on a similar page?? Chase one last decent contract with a lesser club. Although like mentioned earlier, we’re losing a few blokes lately.. I think something is brewing..

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                  • #10
                    Disappointing if true. I love this bloke. I will never forget during the Cronk sin bin an exhausted SST putting Raiders on the backfoot.

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                    • #11
                      We seem to be clearing the roster at the moment if its all true, lam now sst,is there another signing coming,or maybe smith early

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                      • #12
                        Junior Paulo? Will be 29 and free for 2023 and wants to stay in Sydney.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Davo View Post
                          Junior Paulo? Will be 29 and free for 2023 and wants to stay in Sydney.
                          I think SST offers near the same as him.. so would be sideways

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                          • #14
                            Could the Payne Haas rumours actually be a work in progress behind the scenes ? Cordner, Liu, Friend, Jmoz, Bmoz, Ikuvalu, Copley have all left and Lam plus potentially now Sio Siua as well ? Something must be on the radar !


                            That is a lot of talent that has left and salary cap sapce to work with. I understand with Manu's extension and a few young guns being promoted/re-signed to make the top 30 but surely other than the imminent announcement of Brandon Smith, the official signing of Momirovski and Atoni, there's got to be another signing soon if not for 2023 and I can't think of anyone else other than Payne Haas (courtesy of SBW).

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                            • #15
                              More likely salary cap pressures as mentioned in a few articles.

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