[/URL]
The Roosters have emerged as contenders to claim the signature of Rabbitohs star Adam Doueihi, with the 21-year-old set to split with South Sydney in the coming days.
Eager to get their revenge against their fiercest rivals,
who signed Latrell Mitchell after the Roosters had already paid him $116,000 for the 2020 season, the tricolours are in negoatiations with Doueihi - and a deal could leave the Rabbitohs similarly out of pocket.
Doueihi was not at training on Wednesday morning and is expected to be granted a leave of absence by the club in the coming days. Last week, he was
granted permission to skip his club's training camp on the NSW south coast while he sorted out his future in Sydney.
Doueihi was told at the start of the year that he would have a shot at the No.1 jersey after the club re-signed Cody Walker, after initially being told he would be in the No.6. But after the signing of Mitchell, Souths coach Wayne Bennett told Doueihi he was free to explore his options and would have to look elsewhere if he wanted to secure a starting fullback position.
At the Roosters, Doueihi would be second fiddle to James Tedesco in the No.1 jersey and would sign based on the club's need to replace Mitchell at centre.
Originally, a reunion was on the cards for Doueihi and former coach Michael Maguire at Concord Oval, but a suitable contract has yet to be found between the two parties. The Tigers are still holding out hope a deal can be struck.
The joint-venture announced the signing of Joseph Leilua on a three-year deal on Monday, with two spots on their roster still to fill.
The Tigers have enough in their salary cap to accommodate both players, and would be able to offer Doueihi their No.1 jersey. Doueihi's back-ended contract is worth about $550,000 for this season and $575,000 in 2021, a cost which has been a sticking point for a deal with the Tigers.
Melbourne have also been named as a club in the mix of the Doueihi saga, but continue to be frightened off by his price tag.
On the Gold Coast, Mal Meninga has put an official end to talks with Souths about letting Jai Arrow go for 2020.
The Rabbitohs have secured the star forward from 2021 on four-year deal but were hoping to get him over to Redfern Oval as a replacement for Sam Burgess. The Titans have now agreed to immediately release prop Leilani Latu to join the Warrington Wolves in England, making the squad more reliant on Arrow's star power to take them through the 2020 season.
Despite the attitude of Meninga, South Sydney general manager of football Shane Richardson hasn't given up all hope a solution will be found to bring the Titans around.
