Joey Manu has stated that he wants to give rugby union more than six months, dispelling any rumors that he would return to the NRL as soon as next year. At the conclusion of the 2024 season, the Roosters center will sign a contract with Toyota Verblitz, a Japanese rugby team, and depart the NRL.
There were rumors that Manu might return to the Roosters in 2025 and that the transfer would just be temporary. The Japanese Rugby One championship game is held in late May in Tokyo, so theoretically, the Kiwi star could rejoin the Roosters in June of the following year.
The 27-year-old, however, disproved that assumption on Wednesday by declaring that he hopes to play rugby union for a little bit longer than six months. He responded, “I highly, highly doubt it,” when asked if he would still be playing for the Roosters in 2025.
“Perhaps further down the road, somewhere longer. I’ll probably need to stay there for a little bit longer than six months. My family and I will have a positive experience traveling to Japan. simply taking pleasure in something new.
“Just learning the game over there takes six months. I want to go ahead and take it as my next move. In rugby union, I genuinely want to give it my all. It seems like I’ll require a little more time than six months. But we’ll have to wait and see.”
The Roosters now have just one capable fullback option instead of their previous three possibilities after Joseph Suaalii left to join the NSW Waratahs at the end of the season. Fullback is Manu’s and Suaalii’s preferred position, although James Tedesco has been wearing the No. 1 shirt for the past few seasons.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (England) and Luke Keary (retirement) are also leaving at the conclusion of the season, but Manu claimed they hadn’t talked much about their respective departures or the added incentive of winning a premiership in 2024. Undoubtedly, Manu’s choice to convert to rugby was influenced in part by his opportunity to represent the All Blacks in the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
By June of next year, he will probably have a clearer idea of his chances of making the All Blacks, but he needs to be participating in the Super Rugby competition in Australia and New Zealand to be considered for the New Zealand team. His time playing rugby in Japan presents an excellent opportunity for him to attract Super Rugby suitors.
The 27-year-old, who began playing for the Roosters’ youth teams in 2013, acknowledged on Wednesday that it hadn’t yet dawned on him that he would be leaving the team in the next four months. It will not be the same. I’ve spent ten years here. However, I simply have to cherish each day (left),” he remarked.
To be honest, I don’t really have a strategy about whether or not I’ll return to the NRL. I’m just going to head over there and give it my all. Simply ride the current. I have no idea where this will lead. I mean, this club means a lot to me, clearly. I hope to return here at some point in the future.”
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