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.
The 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.”
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