I've got a feeling that when the Roosters agree to release a player, they have restrictions on who they will release to.
They won't release a player to a team who is going to threaten them. Kinda limits his options.
That may be true to a point.
End of the day money talks. The Roosters didn't want to release Latrell to bitter rival Souths, they eventually struck a deal after the situation was untenable. I am sure they got the best deal they could at the time.
Once the Roosters signed Smith I knew Verallis was surplus to requirements.
Rumours that he has been offered to rival club's for months. I would guess paying out the remainder of his Rooster's deal, and taking on a player suffering from repeated concussion and injuries, no doubt limited options.
His future destination says it all.