Bathurst product Mitch Rooke seals deal with Northern NSW NPL club Lambton Jaffas for 2022 season

After playing for Manly United during the 2020 NSW NPL 1 season, Rooke made the move to Broadmeadow Magic for the 2021 season.

Rooke was considered among the top midfielders in the Newcastle-based competition, but he's now on the move to city rivals Lambton Jaffas for the 2022 season.

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"The move was mutual between myself and Broadmeadow," he said.

"I saw the opportunity at Lambton and I thought it be a good chance to try something different."

Unfortunately for Rooke, he'll miss out on playing the Western Sydney Wanderers in the FFA Cup, with Broadmeadow scheduled to take on the A-League Men side on Wednesday night at the Newcastle No. 2 Sportsground.

Had Rooke stayed at Broadmeadow, he would've had a massive opportunity to play in front of the Channel 10 cameras.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed I'm going to miss out on that," he said.

"I didn't really get the opportunity to be able to play in the match in the end."

Rooke's season finished two games short of a completed regular season before the COVID-19 lockdown forced the abandonment of the competition.

Broadmeadow finished in fourth, while his new team Lambton was awarded the premiership on a points per game basis.

Rooke will be joined by brothers James and Luke Virgili, as well as Matt Hoole, who have all made the move from Broadmeadow to Lambton in the off-season.

Jaffas head coach Shane Pryce indicated the club had not initially chased the quartet but it was an easy decision to sign them when it became clear they were leaving Broadmeadow.

"I look at James and think he's got another four years, Luke's probably got another two or three. Rooke has got ages, he's only 23, 24," Pryce said.

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