Brandon Smith appeared dejected and a little frustrated as he opened up about the bombshell news that he was verging on a mid-season move to the Rabbitohs on Wednesday night.
The 28-year-old premiership winner, who joined the Sydney Roosters back in 2023, had been set to jump ship to their rivals, the Bunnies, in 2026. But following secret talks in the last three weeks, that move has been fast-tracked.
Smith, speaking on the bye-round podcast, appeared as though he had been blindsided by the move, revealing he had received a call from his manager in the morning, telling him that a development in contract talks had emerged overnight.
Having also seen plenty of headlines flying around on Wednesday morning, Smith then received a call from Roosters boss Trent Robinson and said the senior coach appeared shocked by the news too.
Smith looks now set for an immediate exit with both clubs on the verge of finalising the deal, but they are understood to be haggling over around $40,000, according to The Daily Telegraph. The Roosters are demanding $200,000 for the star hooker, but the Souths, constrained by their salary cap, are unwilling to budge on a fee of $160,000.
Having attended his team-mate Angus Crichton’s wedding on Monday, Smith reflected on a rollercoaster week on the The Bye Round Podcast, telling footy great James Graham the way in which the news had come out about his impending exit was ‘a strange one’.
Roosters star Brandon Smith cut a dejected figure as he broke his silence on his impending Sydney Roosters exit on Wednesday
The premiership winning hooker appeared frustrated by the way in which he learned of his pending move, adding that he ‘didn’t seem like I’m very wanted’
Smith, affectionately known as ‘Cheese’ by his team-mates, was also questioned on whether he feels like he’s played his last game for the Roosters, replying: ‘It definitely looks that way by the conversations I’m having and articles I’m seeing.
‘It doesn’t seem like I’m very wanted… I just… I don’t know.’
He was also pressed on whether he’d spoken to anyone from the club regarding the situation.
‘Robbo [Trent Robinson] rang me on the way here,’ he replied.
‘It was a good conversation, it was nice. He was like: “Mate, we’re just trying to save some money”.
‘It was direct, but he was also pretty surprised by how it came about today.’
Cheese is now part of an exodus of players who are set to leave the Roosters this year, with Dom Young also set to be shifted to free up salary cap space, while Sandon Smith is in the shop window.
During the podcast, Smith appeared reserved and downbeat compared to his usual lighthearted self, as he opened up on what the immediate future looks like for him while he is still contracted to the Roosters.
Smith, affectionately known as ‘Cheese’ by his team-mates, was questioned on whether he feels like he’s played his last game for the Roosters, replying: ‘It definitely looks that way
The hooker (left) revealed that Trent Robinson (right) had called him to speak about the reports that were circling in the media, but Smith said the coach had been taken aback by the news
Having been ruled out with a knee injury at the start of the season, he added he’d be heading back into training this week to work with the reserve-grade side this week. He is due back from the injury in around six weeks.
‘I guess it’s going to be hard to go into training,’ he said, noting also that the Roosters have a bye this week.
‘I’ve still got to do that. We’re meant to have a week off. I’m training with the reserve-grade side this week.
‘I guess it’s going to be a weird feeling going into the club. It’s not going to happen overnight. It can’t. They’re not going to be able to draw up a contract overnight.
‘No one is answering their phone at the moment as well…’
‘It’s going to be an awkward one,’ he added.
The 28-year-old opened up on the moment he found out that he could be off to the Bunnies and expressed worries to his partner about having to move.
‘Obviously, she [his partner] didn’t get any time to prepare for that news. It’s just all s*** for everyone around you that has had to read that news and they’re expected to just get up and ship out with you.
Smith has not played this season due to a knee injury but is expected to return in the next six weeks
The 28-year-old also revealed that he would be set to turn out for the Roosters’ reserve-grade side if he stayed at the footy club this season
‘Imagine if I was going to Canberra!’
Cheese then admitted he ‘didn’t feel like he had autonomy’ over the move and confirmed to the podcasters that the Roosters would be looking to play him in the reserves for the remainder of the season, should he stay on with the tricolours.
Charlie White asked him: ‘I heard the Chooks in the last couple of days told you that you were going to play reserve grade for the rest of the year if you do come back as well?’
Smith replied: ‘Yeah, pretty much. I think so. I think they told my manager that. I don’t know if they were real words or empty words.
‘When I heard that news, I felt like I wanted to dig my teeth in. “I’ll get paid $900,000 to sit in the reserve grade, I don’t care”. But that is not the point – now I feel like s***.’
It is interesting that the Roosters would let someone with the skills and experience of Smith go, especially while they’re still in the hunt for finals.
But it signals that Sydney are looking to free up some salary space to land Daly Cherry-Evans from Manly, with the Roosters the hot favourites to land the half-back.
Speaking on the podcast, Briath Anasta told Fox Footy that he felt Smith was ‘blindsided’ by the move.
Journalist Michael Carayannis replied: ‘You can see the disappointment and even the sense of embarrassment. That was tough to watch and listen to.’