With the NRL season all over, clubs are now finalising their rosters for next year and beyond which means that our kiwi lads are in hot demand. The Roosters have snapped up young outside back Joseph Manu (Tokoroa) until the end of 2018 along with extending the contract of Sio Siua Taukeiaho (South Auckland) until the end of 2020, Manly Sea Eagles extending Martin Taupau's (Auckland) contract until the end of 2020 and Melbourne Storm officially announced their signings of Brandon Smith (Waiheke Island) and Jahrome Hughes (Wellington) with both coming down from North Queensland.

The Storm's signings of Smith and Hughes were off-set however by their announcement that they would be letting a gang of players go, including former Junior Kiwi Tony Tumusa. Tumusa is an outside back who was promoted to the NRL squad this season but spent the whole year in reserve grade up in Queensland, so it's going to be interesting to see where Tumusa ends up and whether that is aligned with an NRL club or just a QLD/New South Wales reserve grade side.

It's been known for a couple of months that the Storm would sign Smith and Hughes, so this is no surprise. Smith was one of the best players for the Junior Kiwis earlier this year and the powerful hooker will play deputy to Cameron Smith for the next few seasons, soaking up all sorts of wisdom from the great dummy half. Hughes played for the Cowboys during the Origin period and was named as fullback in the Intrust Super Premiership Team of the Year after another strong season for Townsville Blackhawks, he is a fullback but can also play in the halves as well. Neither Smith or Hughes will feature too much next season so we'll pay close attention to them, playing for Sunshine Coast Falcons or Easts Tigers.

The Roosters made a few wise player moves in snapping up Manu and Taukeiaho for the next few years. Manu made his NRL debut this year on the wing, but he's shaping as a long-term centre for the Chooks and has impressed at every level he's played in. The Roosters will probably also keep Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck on their books, ensuring that the Roosters will have an exciting kiwi flavour in their backline with Manu at centre and Tuivasa-Sheck on the wing, chuck in Latrell Mitchell, Blake Ferguson and Shaun Kenny-Dowall and there's a solid group of outside backs to work with.

Signing Taukeiaho on a long-term deal makes great sense for the Roosters, as it does with Taupau and Manly. Taukeiaho has fitted in seamlessly under Trent Robinson and gives the Roosters a huge dose of Taumalolo/Taupau power and footwork, most notably it feels as though Taukeiaho is the type of bloke that the Roosters want which is testament to his development since leaving the Warriors. 

The long-term deals for Taukeiaho and Taupau mean that they are viewed as integral members of either club. Taupau was mentioned as being part of a group at Manly consisting of the Trbojevic brothers and Daly Cherry-Evans, which is quite a group of lads to build your club around. Taukeiaho is a forward who is entering his prime years and there's great scope for him to step into a leadership role with the Roosters, especially as I view this Roosters side as building towards another Premiership window in the coming years.