Adam Reynolds detail called out amid questions around James Tedesco's future at Roosters

The Roosters have been warned that an Adam Reynolds-like contract situation could be brewing at the club around the future of James Tedesco. The Roosters skipper is contracted until the end of 2025 but will become a free agent on November 1 unless he signs an extension with the Tri Colours before then. The 31-year-old made it clear this week that has no plans to hang up the boots anytime soon and wants to finish his NRL career at the Roosters.

Tedesco could easily command around $1 million per season or more if he went on the open market but the Roosters would be loathe to lose their inspirational captain to a rival club. Complicating matters is the future of halfback Sam Walker, who is yet to agree on an extension with the Roosters and has indicated he will test his value on the open market, despite suggesting he'd prefer to remain at the Bondi-based club.

The situation around Walker could prove pivotal to Tedesco's future at the Roosters, who are set to lose a wealth of experience after this season with the departures of Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Joey Manu. The leadership qualities Tedesco brings to the Roosters will be more important than ever for Trent Robinson's side in 2025, but his desire to agree on a multi-year deal could lead to a "tricky" situation at the club, according to former Roosters star Braith Anasta.

“This is an interesting one because Teddy’s the hero. He’s one of the best players at the club, he’s ultra-consistent, ultra-reliable... any club would want him and he wants to be a Rooster for life,” Anasta said on NRL 360. But the former Roosters star said he agreed with News Corp's Michael Carayannis that the Tri Colours would be reluctant to offer the 31-year-old anything more than a one-year extension.

“I don’t think he’s going to be able to command a two or three-year deal at the Roosters," Carayannis said on NRL 360. "If I’m the Roosters I think I’d be trying to extend him for 12 months and then playing it year by year." Anasta said while he agreed with that analysis, he warned the Roosters that it could become a similar situation to the one champion halfback Reynolds faced at South Sydney, before he left for Brisbane.

James Tedesco situation likened to Adam Reynolds at Souths

The Rabbitohs were only willing to offer Reynolds a one-year extension but the veteran No.7 wanted the security of a multi-year deal so he ended up signing a three-year contract with the Broncos. And Anasta is worried a similar scenario could unfold at the Roosters if the club is unwilling to meet Tedesco's expectations.

“I don’t disagree with you, but it reminds me of Adam Reynolds at the Bunnies,” he said. “Not that it’s a bad thing and not that I think they shouldn’t do that — I tend to think it’s a good idea as well. But the player doesn’t always (get on board) and this is where it could get tricky because if Teddy goes ‘no, I want security, I deserve it’.”

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League great Gorden Tallis suggested the departures of both Manu and Suaalii after this season could have something to do with their desire to wear the No.1 jersey that Tedesco has had a stranglehold on for years. And Tallis warned the Roosters that a multi-year deal for their skipper could come back to bite them if age does eventually catch up with the former NSW Origin star.

“You look at players leaving — Joseph Manu and Joseph Sua’ali’i — they’re probably leaving because they want to play No.1,” Tallis said. So there’s the balance in that he’s a legend and is going to go down as one of the greatest ever Roosters... do you hold him too long and then lose one of those other guys.

“I’ll play devil’s advocate. The way he plays, he’s always on the ball, he’s running so many metres. There’s going to be a day where he falls off a cliff and you lose your speed. A bit like Clint Gutherson, he’s been so good for Parramatta... but they just burn out because of how they’ve played the game. I would show him respect and say ‘can we talk half way through next year and see how you’re feeling as well’.”