LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Sydney Roosters are making significant changes to their roster as they prepare for their anticipated premiership campaign in 2026, and this latest move involves the departure of a player instead of a new signing.
The club has announced that promising young forward Xavier Va'a has been granted an immediate release from his NRL contract to explore opportunities elsewhere.
This decision was revealed by the club on Wednesday morning, marking an early end to Va'a's tenure with the Roosters, where he had advanced through the Roosters Academy and made his NRL debut earlier this year.
Va'a made a remarkable entrance in Round 12 of the 2025 season, scoring one of the quickest tries in NRL history just 49 seconds after entering the game for his debut, solidifying his reputation as one of the Roosters' most promising young players.
Joel Carbone, the Head of Recruitment at the Roosters, expressed gratitude to Va'a for his professionalism and contributions to the team during his time with the club. "Xavier has been a great young man to work with and has handled himself with professionalism throughout his time at the Roosters," Carbone stated.