Sydney Roosters have made an 11th-hour play for off-contract South Sydney playmaker Luke Keary.

Fox Sports reported the Roosters had tabled a two-year deal for the NRL premiership-winning half.

Keary has said he will leave Redfern at the completion of the 2016 season, with Melbourne and St George Illawarra previously tipped as frontrunners for his services.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson is on the lookout for a halves partner for Mitchell Pearce, with Jackson Hastings expected to make an early exit from his contract in 2017.

Hastings was dropped to reserve grade in May, despite showing plenty of promise in his first full year in first grade in 2015.

Keary was demoted to the bench in May to make way for skipper Greg Inglis’ move to five-eighth.