He is one of the brightest stars in rugby league, and Dubbo product Connor Watson looks set to finally have his talents recognised.
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The Sydney Roosters are reportedly set to lose Watson to a rival NRL club, despite the youngster having a year left on his contract.
The 21-year-old rising star is set to join the Wests Tigers on a deal worth around $500,000 a season from 2018, according to a report on Channel Seven news on Monday evening.
Watson, who was named most valuable player at the Auckland Nines in February, has struggled for game time at the star-studded Roosters outfit, unable to crack a regular spot in the team's starting roster with only two starts among his 11 appearances so far in 2017.
He has primarily been used as a replacement hooker or half off the bench, and rumblings about his disappointment have become stronger over the course of the season.
Watson has reportedly been guaranteed the fullback role after meeting the Tigers coach Ivan Cleary on Sunday.
The deal trumped a reported offer from the Newcastle Knights, who once again look to have missed out on a targeted player.
It appears to be a clean swap for the clubs as current Tigers and State of Origin fullback James Tedesco will leave the club to join the Roosters from 2018.
The move is expected to have ramifications at the Tigers though, with recent recruit Tui Lolohea reportedly given the same promise when he signed on from the New Zealand Warriors.
Meanwhile, another central west product is making the move to the Northern Hemisphere.
Leigh Centurions have signed Orange’s Daniel Mortimer, himself a valuable utility player, on a long-term deal until the end of the 2019 season.
The former NRL Rookie of the Year joins the English Super League club from Cronulla Sharks and will be available immediately as Leigh aim to get off the bottom of the competition ladder.
Mortimer was Rookie of the Year in 2009 in his debut season with Parramatta Eels and went on to win the NRL Grand Final with Sydney Roosters before playing for Gold Coast Titans and Cronulla.
"I'm really looking forward to this next chapter in my career,” Mortimer said.
“I have been following Leigh closely now for the past six weeks and I hope I can play a significant role for the club between now and season's end.
"Playing overseas has always been an attraction and I am lucky that a great club like Leigh took the initiative to recruit me.
“It will be challenging but I'm always up for a challenge."
