Max contract: Rugby Australia’s extraordinary move to stop brightest star being poached

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Rugby Australia has tabled a five-year contract for Max Jorgensen to keep the rising star out of the clutches of R360 and, more pressingly, Nick Politis and the Sydney Roosters.

It is only the third time Rugby Australia has offered a five-year contract, following Michael Hooper’s $6 million mega deal in 2018 and a five-year deal for Lote Tuqiri in 2007, which he did not see out.

The length of the contract offer for Jorgensen, confirmed by multiple sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is a clear sign of RA’s desperation to lock down the Wallabies’ brightest young talent, who turned 21 last month and looks destined to be one of the faces of the code.

A five-year deal would contract Jorgensen for two Rugby World Cups – the 2027 tournament in Australia and the 2031 version in the USA.

The dollar amount of the contract is not known, but Jorgensen is currently earning $525,000 a year. Based on his superb form for Australia in the British and Irish Lions series and in The Rugby Championship this year, he’d have strong claims for a decent upgrade, particularly when measured against Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s massive three-year, $5 million deal.

Max Jorgensen scores a try against the Springboks in Johannesburg.

Jorgensen is not off contract until the end of 2026, but the 17-Test Wallaby has no shortage of suitors, with rebel competition R360 chasing him and key figures at the Roosters still keen to recruit the son of former Easts winger Peter Jorgensen to the NRL club.

Roosters chairman Politis and coach Trent Robinson are both big fans of Jorgensen, and have attempted to sign him twice: initially when the attacking back was a highly sought after schoolboy in 2022, and then again at the start of 2024.

Both times Jorgensen elected to stay in rugby, but the Roosters are armed with extra money and motivation to make it third time lucky, given former Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase recently announced he is leaving the Tricolours to return to rugby at the end of 2026.

Nawaqanitawase, a former NSW teammate of Jorgensen, was a stunning success in his first NRL season this year, topping the try-scorers’ table and being selected in the Kangaroos squad for the end-of-season tour of the UK. His impact has only strengthened belief at the Roosters that Jorgensen would be a similar hit in the NRL, according to informed sources.

Max Jorgensen dives over to score a try during the third Test against the British and Irish Lions.

Speaking in 2024, after Jorgensen re-signed with RA and the Waratahs, Robinson hinted the Roosters would be back and to pursue him well ahead of the contract expiring in 2026.

“I’ve known him since he was a kid; [I’m] great mates with his dad. We had him training here a while ago,” Robinson said.

“The door is always open for Jorgo at some point. There’s no pressure there. When that time comes we’ll need to speak probably a fair while in advance to get that organised knowing how good he’s going to be.”

Jorgensen has also never hidden his admiration for the Roosters. He said in 2024: “Obviously, the Roosters are an amazing club. They’re one of the best NRL clubs in Australia. I did a pre-season with the Chooks and really enjoyed my time there. I love Robbo as a coach. It was just more about all the stuff I still want to do in union.”

The threat of R360 is also a factor for Rugby Australia, given the competition is currently on a signing blitz ahead of an October start next year, and Jorgensen is managed by Clinton Schifcofske, an agent with multiple NRL clients linked to the breakaway competition, including Ryan Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax and Jye Gray.

Max Jorgensen scores against the Lions in Brisbane.

Still at the start of his career, the chances of Jorgensen signing up to the opaque R360 are slim, however, and particularly after RA, in concert with most other national unions, said they would not pick players for Test rugby from the breakaway competition.

The 2027 World Cup is a trump card for RA in retaining Jorgensen, who said in 2024: “There are three big years coming up with the British and Irish Lions and the World Cup, and they are massive things you want to do in your career.”

Whether they can lock Jorgensen down for the long term with a five-year deal remains to be seen.

His popularity among kids has not escaped RA, which made him one of the faces of the “Get into Rugby” entry-level community program. In a recent interview with Inside Line on Stan Sport, RA boss Phil Waugh said while they would maintain fiscal responsibility, they’d also get “creative” with retaining Jorgensen.

“Clearly Max is a generational talent in what we’re seeing throughout the early stages of his Test career,” Waugh said.