Smith is off-contract at the end of 2025.
Brandon Smith, a dummy half for the Sydney Roosters, has ruled out playing for the North Queensland Cowboys beginning in 2026.
Currently recovering from an ACL injury, Smith will miss the first half of the 2025 campaign after failing to live up to the potential he was signed for over his first two years in tri-colours. The New Zealand international is off-contract at the end of the 2025 campaign and has been able to negotiate since November 1. While he is keen on remaining at the Roosters, that has seemed unlikely, with the tri-colours linked to making a play for North Queensland Cowboys hooker Reece Robson in recent times.
The Roosters’ ability to lure Robson back to Sydney might significantly increase the competition for the services of the New South Wales State of Origin star, even though the Cowboys will want to keep him.
Smith though, speaking on The Bye Round Podcast with James Graham said he has no interest in joining the Cowboys, and added he “couldn’t be forced.”
“There’s a few clubs we’ve spoken to and Cowboys wasn’t one of them,” Smith stated on The Bye Round podcast.
That possibility hasn’t really come up, in my opinion.
For me, the Robson rumour doesn’t really alter anything right now.
“I still want to be at the Roosters, still want to be around Sydney, still want to be on The Bye Round podcast, don’t want to be in Townsville in this blistering heat.
“To be fair, they can’t force me to go there.”
Smith said he doesn’t want to think about shifting clubs, and will battle for his job with the Roosters when he is back on the ground.
The timetable of that return will make things tough for Smith though, with the Roosters potentially needing to make a contract decision for the future before he returns from the ACL injury.
READ MORE ON:https://sportip.co.uk/