Off-Contract Try-Scoring Machine Alex Johnston Locks In Club For 2021
WRITTEN BY ED CHISHOLM..... Courtesy of Sporting News Australia is the source for this article.
South Sydney has re-signed winger Alex Johnston in a dramatic backflip having initially informed the tryscoring machine he wasn’t wanted beyond this season.
Johnston has penned a two-year extension that will see him remain at Redfern until at least the conclusion of the 2022 season.
It comes after
NRL.com and
The Daily Telegraph reports the 25-year-old was offered to the Storm as a replacement for Josh Addo-Carr, with Johnston understood to have accepted a deal worth more than $100,000 to make the move to Melbourne.
Johnston re-committed to the Rabbitohs on Monday, and though an official announcement is yet to be made from the club, coach Wayne Bennett said the players celebrated the news when informed at training on Tuesday.
“It’s great for the club. It’s a tough situation we’re in but we’ve managed to be able to get him in under the cap now so we’re all pretty relaxed with it and more importantly it means a lot to the club and a lot to his teammates here this morning.” Bennett said.
“It was certainly the most cheering and clapping I’ve heard for a long time in the change room.”
The Rabbitohs had initially told Johnston he didn’t have a place in his beloved club’s roster in 2021 due to salary cap pressure prompted by the recent marquee signings of Latrell Mitchell and Jai Arrow, who is due to arrive at South Sydney next season.
A popular figure amongst players and fans, the impending loss of Johnston had upset many of his teammates, with
Cody Walker admitting it’d be devastating for South Sydney to lose one of it’s local talents.
However his re-signing comes as a welcome boost to the club on the brink of the finals series, with Johnston expected to play a key role with the season-long injury of fullback Mitchell.
A fullback by choice, Johnston has been used at wing and centre this season, but has enjoyed some of his best form to date, leading the club and sitting tied second in the competition for tries scored (14).
It means Melbourne’s search for a marquee outside back will continue, with the club set to lose winger Suliasi Vunivalu as well as Addo-Carr next year.
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