EXCLUSIVE: Phil Gould questions 'interesting' Roosters decision to let Brandon Smith leave

Brandon Smith looks set to leave the Roosters immediately in a move Phil Gould says is "interesting".

Smith had already signed with South Sydney for 2026 and 2027 but reports on Wednesday say he will join the Rabbitohs as soon as this week.

It will end a tumultuous Roosters stint for the larrikin Kiwi wrecking ball.

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The Chooks sit in 11th spot on the NRL ladder with four wins from nine games, after many expected them to bottom out and be a wooden spoon contender.

They lost the likes of Luke Keary, Joseph Suaalii, Joey Manu, and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves this season, while Smith and halfback Sam Walker suffered serious knee injuries late last year.

Those two are yet to return to the field and the Roosters have been fielding rookies and ring-ins while still managing to beat the likes of Penrith and Brisbane over the first nine rounds.

Gould is struggling to understand why Smith would be released when he could help the Roosters push for finals.

"I find that interesting... it is certainly good for South Sydney... but they are tracking all right, the Roosters," he told Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus.

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"With the prospect of Sam Walker coming back, and then Brandon Smith... they are still a chance of playing finals football, and having those two fellas around in September would have been mighty handy for them.

"I've never ever seen him as a full-time hooker. I don't think his skillset is good enough. Rugged defender and a great ball runner, but I've never seen him as a dummy-half.

"It's interesting because I just think the Roosters are tracking all right. They are keeping pace, winning enough games to keep themselves in contention."

The news comes a day after winger Dom Young was reportedly told he can leave the Roosters immediately.

Smith is on a deal worth about $850,000 at the Roosters, and the Rabbitohs are now set to chip in for his contract this season.

The 28-year-old has been on the outer at the Roosters ever since he missed a team meeting in June last year. He was then hit with a breach notice by the club.

Things went from bad to worse for Smith when he was sidelined with an ACL injury later in the season. The hooker is yet to play since that happened.

In March it was announced Smith would move to the Rabbitohs on a two-year deal worth $600,000 a season.

That's now been fast-tracked as the Roosters look to shuffle their roster around.

It means Smith could line up for the Rabbitohs as soon as his injured knee allows him to.

The Rabbitohs have struggled in recent weeks as an injury crisis hits the team hard.