From Zero Tackle,
Rabbitohs to begin tense negotiations with stars after Wighton signing
The
South Sydney Rabbitohs have reportedly begun contract negotiations with
Keaon Koloamatangi,
Campbell Graham and
Tevita Tatola, all of whom are off-contract at the end of next year.
The club have just confirmed the contract of
Jack Wighton, with the
Canberra Raiders' five-eighth heading to Redfern on a four-year deal.
It's believed to be back-ended in nature, but it was still forecast to push some of South Sydney's top talent out of the club, either at the end of this year or next.
Wighton is believed to be on $700,000 for 2024, before that moves up to approximately $950,000 in the final year of his deal, being 2027.
South Sydney will have substantial cap space freed up at the end of 2025 with the likely retirements of
Cody Walker and
Damien Cook, but that still leaves at least the 2025 season where things may not fit, given the trio of stars are all off-contract at the end of 2024.
The trio can all, should they choose, sign with rival clubs from November 1, but South Sydney, according to
News Corp are keen to ensure it doesn't go that far, starting negotiations with all three.
All of Koloamatangi, Graham and Tatola have improved substantially since they signed their last
NRL deals, and will likely be in for significant contract upgrades when they sign their next deals, making the 2025 question a difficult one to answer for the Redfern-based club salary cap wise.
The trio, who all could be in the New South
Wales State of Origin selection discussion this year, have been a key part of South Sydney's push in recent seasons, and Graham in particular was rewarded when he traveled to
England as part of
Mal Meninga's Australian Kangaroos squad for the
2022 Rugby League World Cup.
It's unclear if any of the trio will hit the open market, although the report suggests Koloamatangi's agent has already sent messages to rival clubs informing them of the barnstorming second rower's free agency status.