South Sydney's inability to attract quality players was a major factor behind captain Ashley Harrison's decision to join the Sydney Roosters on a three-year deal.

Harrison said the Roosters' player depth and the chance to enhance his fledgling representative career under NSW Origin coach Ricky Stuart also swayed him to agree to terms with the 2002 premiers for less money than Souths were offering.

NSW five-eighth Braith Anasta is expected to join the Queensland Origin back-rower at the Roosters but talks with the club have been delayed by 24 hours because the Bulldogs didn't arrive back in Sydney from Auckland until Monday night.

"The main thing was the depth of the club and their record speaks for itself," said Harrison, who rejected offers from the Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers.

"Souths are still building that and they're definitely going to get better in the next few years but the top four teams have all got tremendous depth."

Harrison said he had been upfront with Rabbitohs chief executive Shane Richardson about leaving the club if it failed to sign players like Anasta and Melbourne halfback Matt Orford, who is still contemplating his future.

"I just wanted to see who they could attract and nothing had been done so I had to make a decision," said Harrison, who made his Origin debut in last week's decider.

"I wanted to get it off my chest.

"Richo (Richardson) was pretty good about it. He respected my decision and wished me all the best."

Asked whether he felt sorry for Souths, Harrison replied: "Not really.

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