Roosters Move on Spencer Leniu as PNG Chiefs Loom

The Sydney Roosters have reportedly told spencer leniu he will not be offered a new deal when his current contract ends in 2027. That puts the 124-game prop on the market from November 1, with the PNG Chiefs now shaping as the likely next stop.

PNG Chiefs Lead Chase

The clearest next step is simple: Leniu can officially negotiate with other clubs from November 1. He could also be allowed to talk about his future earlier if the Roosters choose to move that process forward.

The PNG Chiefs have emerged as the favourite to become his new home, and that link carries weight because the club is expected to join the NRL as the 19th club in 2028. They have already signed Jarome Luai, and Alex Johnston is expected to fall over the line in the coming weeks.

Isaac Issa, speaking on the Footy In Focus Podcast with Kat Haddad, said: “There has been a little chatter around it,” and added: “From the sounds of it, he is on the outer at the Roosters at the moment. This makes complete sense.” Those comments lined up with the club’s direction and the growing expectation that the Chiefs are building quickly.

Roosters Forward Picture

Leniu’s possible exit would leave the Roosters leaning even harder on Lindsay Collins and Naufahu Whyte in the prop rotation. That is the immediate roster issue for Sydney, because the club has already moved toward a forward group built around those two names.

He brings more than club experience. Leniu has played 124 NRL games, six State of Origin games and seven Tests for Samoa, so any move away from Bondi would send a proven front-rower into the market well before his current deal runs out.

For the Roosters, the decision now points toward a clean break at the end of 2027 rather than a renewal, and for Leniu it opens a path toward a club that is already recruiting aggressively for 2028. The next piece is whether the Chiefs turn that interest into a deal once November 1 arrives.