Early release from Wigan to join Souths in 2013 on a 2 year deal.
http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/spor...nrl-season/story-e6frexnr-1226366145369?reg=1
Jeff Lima to join South Sydney Rabbitohs next NRL season
by: Josh Massoud From: The Daily Telegraph May 25, 2012 12:00AM
Former Melbourne Storm enforcer Jeff Lima is off to South Sydney. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
SOUTH Sydney's monster pack will become even more terrifying with the addition of premiership-winning prop Jeff Lima next year.
Beneath the hysteria surrounding Dave Taylor's move to Gold Coast, Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire and CEO Shane Richardson have quietly secured Lima a release from his commitments at Wigan.
Maguire's relationship with Wigan - he led the UK Super League powerhouse for two seasons before arriving at Redfern - was instrumental in convincing officials to allow the 29-year-old to return home a year early.
Maguire also has a long association with Lima, starting in Melbourne several years ago when he was learning the trade under Craig Bellamy.
The pair shared personal glory during last year's Challenge Cup final win over Leeds Rhinos, which delivered Maguire coveted silverware and Lima the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match.
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Knights coach Wayne Bennett was previously keen on Lima, but instead left the door open for Souths by offering Willie Mason a mid-season lifeline.
Lima will join the Rabbitohs on a two-year deal that's also defied interest from Melbourne.
The Storm will now concentrate on re-signing veteran bookends Bryan Norrie and Jason Ryles.
Wests Tigers were deep in negotiations with Norrie, before opting to recruit Rabbitohs prop Eddie Pettybourne instead.
Pettybourne's departure will help Souths accommodate Lima and Broncos star Ben Te'o, leaving Scott Geddes as last free agent in the NRL's most star-studded pack.
SOUTH Sydney's bandwagon collected an unlikely passenger last Sunday, when we spotted former Wallabies prop Matt Dunning draped in a myrtle and cardinal scarf.
But Dunning wasn't on the hill at Kogarah celebrating his team's thrilling golden point win.
He was across town doing laps of Brookvale Oval's corporate area, much to the bewilderment of Sea Eagles and Roosters fans.
AND finally at Redfern we'd like to give Matt King, Dave Tyrrell and Chris McQueen a huge wrap for their recent hair and fundraising efforts for Down syndrome charities.
Due to face the razor on Thursday week, the trio have raised nearly $15,000 in their Shave a Bunny campaign.
Pearce's hot streak hits minaj a trois
BLUES
half and NRL heart-throb Mitchell Pearce again had his eye on the prize in Melbourne this week - and we ain't talking about the Man of the Match award.
Out of all the Blues players and staff staying at Crown Metropol, it was the halfback who first noted that booti-ful US rapper Nicki Minaj was sharing the swish hotel.
After his well-documented dalliance with Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts last month, Pearce is now top of the pops when it comes to diva spotting.
AFTER missing out on Ryan Hynchcliffe and Beau Scott, Parramatta struck a belated recruitment blow when they finally snared Sea Eagles prop Darcy Lussick this week. But most interest surrounds the club's $500,000-a-season bid for Lussick's Manly teammate Tony Williams.
Manly can't compete with that cabbage, but Canterbury certainly can.
Don't rule-out T-Rex going to the Dogs just yet.
PANTHERS coach Ivan Cleary will soon benefit from some big-name assistance, with the club recruiting a high-performance manager this week.
A keen-eyed source directed us to the job ad on Penrith's website, which invited applications from coaches with a minimum five years' experience "at an elite level".
The wide-ranging job description suggests the new staffer will oversee Cleary's department while reporting directly back to Panthers boss Phil Gould.
Applications closed last Friday and football manager Phil Moss last night confirmed a decision had been made. But he wouldn't reveal who.
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PENRITH are also taking a hardball approach to Cronulla's request for Michael Gordon to move to the Shire ASAP.
We've heard the Panthers want Cronulla to pay-out Gordon's entire $200,000-plus contract for 2012 in return for his services down the straight.
With Gordon not due back from a broken ankle for another month, Sharks officials are nonplussed and have only offered to pay out the remainder of the winger's contract.
Negotiations are at a stalemate, leaving Gordon with the prospect of finishing the season with six or seven meaningless matches rather than a finals campaign with his new club. The $100,000 cap relief would also allow Penrith to blood juniors ahead of next season.
This Panther is catwalk material*
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Josh Mansour
Panthers winger Josh Mansour.
Source: No Source
ASIDE from two misplaced letters in his surname, Panthers rookie Josh Mansour is just about the perfect specimen.
Featuring the best set of abs outside a late-night infomercial, this photo has been known to grace the desks of female staffers at Panthers HQ. And since making his debut against Melbourne three weeks ago, the half Lebanese-Portuguese winger has been just as scintillating on-field.
All three of Mansour's starts have earned him $250 jewellery vouchers as Penrith's Players' Player. But what of a modelling career for the apprentice carpenter, who was forced to trial for a NSW Cup contract at North Sydney last year?
"Josh certainly wouldn't look out of place on the catwalk or modelling undergarments," his agent Sam Ayoub laughed yesterday.
"But he can think about that in a few years. He has rugby league to concentrate on now."
Ayoub brings out big guns in court defence*
ANYONE who has followed the courtroom drama from the 2010 Bulldogs-Cowboys penalty goal plunge would appreciate why Sam Ayoub has been smiling this week.
Overlooked in reports about his successful defence of a spot-fixing charge was the support Ayoub solicited from rugby league's most powerful men.
Character references from Channel 9 boss David Gyngell, Roosters chairman Nick Politis and Panthers supremo Phil Gould helped the player agent clear his name.
THE game's freshest legal stoush doesn't involve a single player, agent or official.
The ARLC has just taken Federal Court action against a businessman who imported 40,000 supporter footballs without copyright.
THE Roosters have secured most of their up-and-coming team, but veteran winger Sam Perrett remains a free agent.
Whether Perrett stays at Bondi will largely depend on the club's capacity to keep his little brother, Lloyd.
The teenager starred at prop in the Roosters' SG Ball team this season, but is being offered to the Roosters as a package deal with Sam.
NEGOTIATIONS surrounding the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) have leaked some grim news. We're hearing the minimum wage will be raised to just $65,000 - from an appalling $55,000 at present.THE lesser lights of Origin will be celebrated at this year's Blues Ball, to be held at La Montage in Leichhardt on June 6.
Organiser Max Krillich has been compiling a highlights package of former Blues who don't get the lasting recognition afforded to Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Laurie Daley.
"It's something different we wanted to put together to remind the team that everyone who plays Origin is special," Krillich said.
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Five to the fore
5 WAYNE BENNETT
The ultimate politician and media manipulator, Bennett chose Wednesday to do a rare press conference in Newcastle. Unsurprisingly it received little coverage because of Origin I.
4 JETLAG
A hidden hurdle for Cowboys stars Johnanthan Thurston, James Tamou, Matt Scott and Brent Tate. The Origin quartet face gruelling flights from Melbourne to Townsville, and then back to Sydney, within two days of this weekend's clash against the Tigers.
3 KIAMA
Last-placed Parramatta hope the south coast haven will also prove their saviour after a bonding camp by the blowhole last week.
2 CURTIS SIRONEN
Son of Balmain great Paul Sironen is tipped to make a sentimental debut in the Tigers halves alongside Benji Marshall on Sunday.
*1 SELL-OUTS
Nothing is sacred - including the Australian National Anthem. Selling out the pre-Origin tradition to tackily cross-promote stage show Annie was cringeworthy.
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