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2020 Rabbitohs Rumours, Signings and News

callmack1

callmack1

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From the Daily Telegraph,

South Sydney ready to table a formal offer to boom young forward

South Sydney’s bold bid to lure Jai Arrow to Redfern will come to a head at a meeting on Monday with a formal offer expected to be tabled to the boom young Gold Coast forward.

It follows the NRL’s decision on Friday not to lump the Rabbitohs’ with Sam Burgess’ $1 million-a-season contract payout on their salary cap.

What this has done is immediately open up an opportunity for these negotiations to go to the next level.

Souths are expected to blow the Titans out of the water in respect to the money they can direct at one of the game’s most exciting middle forwards.

Rabbitohs general manager of football Shane Richardson has been handling all the negotiations so far with Arrow’s agent David Riolo, but Bennett also returns to training this week and will be eager to know where his squad stands going forward.

But while they haven’t given up hope, they are restricted by the fact they are already forking out huge money for several underperforming stars who they just can’t offload.

The Rabbitohs see Arrow as the perfect replacement for Burgess given what he brings on and off the field.

Bennett even took the unusual step of coming out last week and speaking publicly about his desire to coach Arrow.

Bennett rarely gets involved in the player market circus but the fact he chose to make those comments further highlights just how serious Souths are about getting this deal done.

Make no mistake, this could ultimately be a critical play in respect to Bennett’s lasting legacy at the Bunnies.

While the opportunity to play under Bennett would be a huge attraction to any young player, the Rabbitohs also need to regenerate their roster after losing the team’s two superstars in Burgess and Greg Inglis in the space of one season.

There is no way Bennett would have anticipated that would be the outcome when he took on the job to replace Anthony Seibold.

Bennett still has two more years to run on his current deal at Souths, but given he turns 70 in the New Year the most successful coach in the game’s history will be motivated to make next year count.

Souths did extremely well this year to finish one game short of the grand final given Inglis’ retirement and the fact Burgess was injured for much of the year.

But bringing on board a player like Arrow could really reinvigorate the pack alongside youngsters like Cameron Murray and Liam Knight who showed tremendous improvement in 2019.

Bennett knows better than anyone you don’t win premierships unless you have the right players and right now Arrow is the best forward on the open market along with Brisbane’s David Fifita.

While Arrow’s current deal at Gold Coast runs for next season there is a chance he could gain an early release if he was to settle his future in Sydney.

It would also potentially open up the salary cap space needed for the Titans to have a red hot crack at Latrell Mitchell.
 
Rabbits20

Rabbits20

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southsport said:
Based on common sense, Souths needs forwards first.
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I completely agree Southy, definitely forwards first.
southsport said:
Maybe but he seems to be taking his time.
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Which means we are in with a bit of a chance still. My worry though is that Easts will come in and have a big go at Fifita. I still think he will end up staying in Brisbane though but I could be wrong.
Peter Quinn said:
Southy, we will be at Redfern cafe tomorrow 9.30-10 am. I think the boys will be back training.
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Pete please let us know how it goes and what you see, eg: players that look fitter and guys that impress you in general. (You might not know all the blokes that training especially with some younger grade players coming up and with some of the guys we have bought like Dargan and Marsters etc....)
 
Rabbits20

Rabbits20

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callmack1 said:
Why challenge system will switch pressure from refs to captains: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/12/09/why-challenge-system-will-switch-pressure-from-refs-to-captains/

‘Coach whisperer’ reveals insane finger amputation pact with Michael Maguire: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...4/news-story/e8fab02aa3876f4cd2cb85fa075ba77a
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I still have a soft spot for Madge @callmack1 and I always will do, he really changed our club for the better in a number of ways (even though we all can see he made a few mistakes along the way).
 
Rabbit toes

Rabbit toes

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southsport said:
Based on common sense, Souths needs forwards first.
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If you applied your idea of common sense then by now our club would have signed every player forward or otherwise off contract.
Word is in Brisbane Fifita has resigned with broncos.
Where should the common sense be applied now?
 
southsport

southsport

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Rabbit toes said:
If you applied your idea of common sense then by now our club would have signed every player forward or otherwise off contract.
Word is in Brisbane Fifita has resigned with broncos.
Where should the common sense be applied now?
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Common sense says that if Fifita is now off the table then there doesn't seem to be all that much available as far as forwards go, so with the dollars that are left may as well try to sign Mitchell I guess.

Souths still look light on for forwards having lost Sam, Sutto, George, Britt and only signed Arrow (hopefully).

What does your common sense tell you?
 
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Rabbits20

Rabbits20

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southsport said:
Common sense says that if Fifita is now off the table then there doesn't seem to be all that much available as far as forwards go, so with the dollars that are left may as well try to sign Mitchell I guess.

Souths still look light on for forwards having lost Sam, Sutto, George, Britt and only signed Arrow (hopefully).
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There is more talk around tonight Southy that Fifita has agreed to terms with Brisbane to extend there.

Just a shame besides Arrow their is not much on the market. We have to hope and pray we can get Arrow a year early.

Don’t forget Turner either Southy that’s another forward that left, imo we needed to try harder to keep one of Turner or Britt, but that’s just my opinion.

All we’ve really done is just bring up Koloamatangi and Rodwell into our top 30, so yeah it’s a bit concerning for sure.

We can only hope Amone, Dillon and Sironen step up, tbh I have no idea how they will go, hopefully 2 of those 3 can step up for us. Maybe Bayley Sironen can step up and do a similar job for us that Turner did for us, I think that’s all we could really ask of him.

On what I’ve seen re Rodwell he’s still too young and need a year in CC, if needed off the bench I think Koloamatangi can do a job for us, he started 2019 in CC very well probs close to our best forward and then he got that injury that kept him out rest of the season. With a full pre season under his belt though with the first grade squad I expect him to just get better.
 
southsport

southsport

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Rabbits20 said:
There is more talk around tonight Southy that Fifita has agreed to terms with Brisbane to extend there.

Just a shame besides Arrow their is not much on the market. We have to hope and pray we can get Arrow a year early.

Don’t forget Turner either Southy that’s another forward that left, imo we needed to try harder to keep one of Turner or Britt, but that’s just my opinion.

All we’ve really done is just bring up Koloamatangi and Rodwell into our top 30, so yeah it’s a bit concerning for sure.

We can only hope Amone, Dillon and Sironen step up, tbh I have no idea how they will go, hopefully 2 of those 3 can step up for us. Maybe Bayley Sironen can step up and do a similar job for us that Turner did for us, I think that’s all we could really ask of him.

On what I’ve seen re Rodwell he’s still too young and need a year in CC, if needed off the bench I think Koloamatangi can do a job for us, he started 2019 in CC very well probs close to our best forward and then he got that injury that kept him out rest of the season. With a full pre season under his belt though with the first grade squad I expect him to just get better.
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Koloamatangi might not be available until mid season.
 
southsport

southsport

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Rabbits20 said:
Why is that?

I thought he was back training?....

Did he re-injure himself? If so that’s a blow and not what we needed as we are already thin in depth forwards.
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It's just what I had read elsewhere, I hope you're right, maybe Pete can tell us tomorrow if he gets to training as planned?
 
Galeforce

Galeforce

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Not sure what is great about it........where is any decision from player , then Titans.

Appears we are where we were first time , his name was mentioned and $800k.Which seems too long ago. If he waiting for his girlfriend to make final decision , then he is not the player for us.

Frankly I will be pissed if we offer any more than that and frankly pissed if the player has not made a decision yet.
 
H

handyman2190

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Peter Quinn said:
View attachment 34573
Great news!!. But what do we do for 2021?
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Who has confirmed that he has signed?
I actually think 800 is expensive but there is nothing else available and we are desperate,but 1 forward after losing 5 just isnt enough,we are extremely light on, and i cant believe bennet hasnt planned a few defections ala knight lowe and sua
 
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