Roosters eye English Test star Hall to replace Ferguson - Sports News

The Roosters are sizing up Ryan Hall, one of the most prolific try-scorers in English history, as a replacement for Eels-bound star Blake Ferguson next season.

There has been no official word from the club but NRL.com understands that Roosters officials have made contact with Hall, 30, in recent days to gauge the blockbusting winger's interest in cracking the NRL.

Hall has previously perked interest among Australian outfits but only now is off-contract with Leeds Rhinos, having inked a monster deal back in 2014.

At 188 centimetres and 105 kilos, Hall is a genuine star of the English game, having scored 223 tries for Leeds and claimed six Super League titles in over a decade at the top level.

With a record 35 tries from 38 Test appearances for England as well, he shapes as an experienced big body and an ideal replacement for Ferguson given his impact so far in a superb 2018 campaign.

The Roosters are also keeping a keen eye on off-contract flyers Brett Morris at Canterbury and Brisbane's Jamayne Isaako.

While the latter's preference is to stay at Red Hill with negotiations between the Broncos and Isaako progressing well, Morris could be a more likely option given the Bulldogs' salary cap issues.

With Joseph Manu and recent debutants Matt Ikuvalu and Paul Momirovski stronger in the centres than on the flank, Trent Robinson conceded the Roosters would likely look to market for Ferguson's replacement last week.

"We've got some young guys coming through that are going to fill that role and they have filled that role over the last month," Robinson said when pressed on his options last Friday.

"But there is opportunity to recruit into that position."