The NSW Waratahs insist Mat Rogers' expected early return to the NRL will not hinder their chances of snaring an elusive first Super 14 title next year.

Unless he has a late change of heart and decides to stay, Rogers will be released from the final year of his half-million-dollar-a-season contract with the Waratahs and Australian Rugby Union on Thursday.

The release, to be granted on compassionate grounds, will enable the troubled star to link with the Gold Coast Titans in 2007.

He had signed to join the Titans in 2008 after next year's Rugby World Cup but has grown to be disillusioned with the 15-a-side code and is also dealing with well-documented personal issues in his life.

The 30-year-old dual international will meet with ARU chief executive Gary Flowers, general manager Pat Wilson and Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie in Sydney at 12.30pm (AEDT), with all parties sympathetic to his "special circumstances" following a series of tragedies in the Rogers family.

His mother Carol died of cancer five years ago, his father - league legend Steve Rogers - was found dead in January after suffering from depression before his older brother Don was taken to hospital on Saturday following a drug overdose.

Having met with Rogers last week, McKenzie was resigned to the backline star becoming the fourth Wallaby lost in the NSW ranks this year.

Halfback Chris Whitaker, who led the Waratahs to the Super 14 semi-finals for the second season running, is playing out his career in Ireland, winger Wendell Sailor is serving a two-year suspension for cocaine use and back-rower Stephen Hoiles has joined the ACT Brumbies.

In addition, Wallabies lock Dan Vickerman will spend the bulk of the Super 14 season recovering from a second shoulder reconstruction, while long-serving centre Shaun Berne has linked with Bath in England.

But the Waratahs remain confident they will cope even if Rogers joins the exodus of senior players.

"We operate on a squad and the nature of the game is that you're going to get injuries and you have to plan for those and you have to have back-ups and contingencies," NSW chief executive Fraser Neill said.

"We've always said that we want to have a squad where we have Wallabies sitting on the bench and we achieved that last year and we'll have that this year.

"We've got some fantastic talent coming through in Kurtley Beale, Sam Norton-Knight and Dan Halangahu so, from our perspective, if Mat does go, we'll be treating it as if he had a long-term injury.

"I think the team will kick on from this. I don't see it as a disaster or anything. I think we are more than capable of winning the competition next year with the squad we'll have, irrespective of if Mat stays or doesn't."

McKenzie said it was probably best for everyone if Rogers moved on, if that's what he desired.

"There's sufficient evidence there that he's got some issues that he needs to get on with and sort out and he probably can't do it in the current environment," he said.

"He's got situations there that I can't fix ... I can't say enough, I only want people at the Waratahs that want to be there.

"We've got people queuing up to want to play for the Waratahs and give 100 per cent commitment. So, if I feel that a player is struggling in that area - and it doesn't have to be an intentional distraction - but if they can't commit 100 per cent, then I've got to move on.

"I've got to be fair to the rest of the team and that's looking like the situation for Mat.

"Obviously losing a player of his ability and his versatility leaves a bit of a hole for us, but I also see it as an opportunity to try and find the next Mat Rogers."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP