Big prop Lodge to stay with Chooks

MATT Lodge has broken his silence on his future in the NRL as Roosters coach Trent Robinson revealed he wants the former Broncos enforcer at Bondi next season.

Lodge has ended months of uncertainty over his NRL career by declaring he intends to sign with the Roosters – and is even prepared to take a pay cut in his pursuit of a maiden premiership ring at the TriColours.

Lodge signed a short-term deal with the Roosters late last season, playing nine games for the club, including their finals loss to South Sydney, after his controversial mid-year departure from the Warriors.

As the NRL prepares for its new contracting period on November 1, Lodge remains without a deal for next season, but is adamant he will be in Roosters colours in 2023.

“I plan to be there next year,” Lodge said, speaking for the first time about his plans for next season.

“I haven’t spoken about it before but I will be at the Roosters next year.

“I really enjoyed the end of the season, so I don’t really want to be anywhere else.”

Robinson is confident the Roosters will have the salary cap space to accommodate Lodge, who chalked up his 100th NRL game in the club’s playoffs loss to arch-rivals the Rabbitohs.

“Matt hasn’t signed yet but we’d like to keep him for next year,” said Robinson, currently in England assisting France at the World Cup.

Lodge pocketed an estimated $2.3 million from payouts at the Broncos and Warriors over the past 15 months, enabling him to operate on a cut-price $100,000 deal at the Roosters for the final two months of the 2022 season.

Brisbane’s big-money subsidy ends next year, but Lodge says he is happy to sacrifice big bucks in pursuit of an elusive premiership. “The money doesn’t bother me,” he said.