Rabbitohs sign Jed Cartwright for the remainder of Season 2020:
https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2...-cartwright-for-the-remainder-of-season-2020/
Hat-trick hero Alex Johnston’s startling admission over Rabbitohs contract saga:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...r/news-story/7676654d92648f42edbaaa0a49cdf168
Hat-trick hero Alex Johnston's telling interview amid South Sydney contract breakdown:
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/alex-j...reakdown/659293f3-fa62-4717-9c5b-4cb6fb29c376
From Sporting News,
Cody Walker leads desperate plea for Rabbitohs to hang onto hat-trick star Alex Johnston
Cody Walker has pleaded with the Rabbitohs to do whatever it takes to retain Alex Johnston after the star winger's dazzling performance in the win over the Dragons.
Walker and Johnston ignited a stirring South Sydney comeback, the duo scoring five tries between them to help overcome an early 16-0 deficit and claim an inspiring 32-24 victory to fittingly open the NRL's Indigenous Round.
Walker was instrumental for Wayne Bennett's side after they lost halfback and captain Adam Reynolds in the seventh minute, but the hat-trick performance of Johnston stole the headlines, with the Rabbitohs flyer still unsigned for next season.
A fullback at heart,
Johnston was given the opportunity to look elsewhere at the start of the year upon Latrell Mitchell's arrival at Redfern, and
while he eventually ended up staying , conceded after the win over St. George Illawarra he was still on the lookout for a club for 2021.
Praising his commitment, Walker said after Thursday night's victory it would be devastating to see Johnston, a Souths junior and local product, wearing another team's colours beyond this year.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen, it's out of my control," Walker said of the contract stalemate surrounding Johnston.
"I'd be sad to see him play for another club, he's a Souths junior he's come all through the ranks, he grew up in the South Sydney region. I'm not quite sure what's going to happen.
"He's a very experienced player, he can play wing, he can play fullback. You see with the defensive reads tonight, it's just crazy that he makes those decisions and he's just a smart character."
Should South Sydney let Johnston go, they'll be losing a man who has notched an impressive 93 tries in 134 NRL appearances since his 2014 debut.
While his three crosses of the stripe on Thursday, two of which came from long-range intercepts, took Johnston's 2020 tally out to 10 in 12 games.
The Rabbitohs acquisition of Mitchell, on top of the signing of Queensland forward Jai Arrow from the Titans for the next four years, was always going to put a strain on the club's salary cap, leaving them at a stretch to hang on to Johnston.
That and the 25-year-old's desire to play fullback and be paid as such have seen discussions between he and the club reportedly break down.
In a poignant interview with
Channel Nine post-game, the
incisive winger conceded his future at Redfern appeared unlikely.
“I’m a local junior and I’ve always maintained that I always wanted to stay at Souths but at the moment it’s not looking likely,” Johnston said after helping the Rabbitohs to victory.
“I think there's a lot of salary cap issues there.
"Hopefully tonight I put my best foot forward and some clubs get some offers through."
While asked about Johnston's future at South Sydney after the game Wayne Bennett said it was a work in progress.
“I don’t think any of us want him to leave the club but like everybody in the game we’ve got a salary cap and we’re trying to fit everybody in,” the Rabbitohs coach said.
