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Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs have had a major win with the retention of teenage star Max Jorgensen on a new two year deal.
The 19-year-old fullback is chasing the carrot of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia but the fresh contract will put him back on the market ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil.
The Sydney Roosters had reportedly offered him a big money contract but both Jorgensen and NRL coach Trent Robinson denied that – despite some mutual admiration.
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The Roosters have landed Jorgensen’s teammate Mark Nawaqanitawase for the 2025/26 seasons – essentially trading places with Joseph Suaalii who is switching from league to rugby.
Jorgensen’s father, Peter, played for the Wallabies, Roosters and Penrith Panthers.
Max was picked by Eddie Jones for last year’s World Cup but broke his leg in training before making his Test debut in France.
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“I obviously love rugby, been playing it my whole life,” Jorgensen told 9News on Wednesday.
“The Roosters are an amazing club, I’ve supported them my whole life as well. But I think rugby union is the right decision for this time in my career with this three years coming up (Lions tour and World Cup).
“Obviously it’s hard, to not play for the Roosters, but I think my heart’s just in union… I have a good relationship with Robbo (Robinson) so I had a chat to him… he was fine with it. Obviously there’s not much he can do about it. He wasn’t getting angry or anything like that.”
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Highly respected Roosters boss Robinson told reporters on Wednesday that no formal offer had ever been made to Jorgensen.
“We have those discussions but that’s more through our experience a couple of years ago, knowing the family but also him training with us. But there hasn’t even been an offer or anything put forward,” he said.
“I think that was reported but that was far from the truth. There’s been no offer. There’s been discussions that if he wants to come back, then we’re here to have a chat but that hasn’t even progressed past that. (Father) Pete obviously played both (codes) at a high level. Max is his own man as well.”
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