Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
The wait has been prolonged but well worth it.
After months of patient yet productive negotiations, South Sydney will finally announce the retention of star players Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.
The Daily Telegraph has been told Mitchell and Walker’s much-hyped retention will be made public at 11am on Wednesday.
It comes six days after Souths officially nailed down hooker Damien Cook.
With Mitchell, Walker and Cook all staying long-term, South Sydney fans can continue to dream about title number 22.
Mitchell, 25, will re-sign for another three seasons with Walker’s deal ending after 2025. Cook signed for a further two years.
It will be a re-signing package worth a cool $5 million. While not categorically confirming the re-signing of Mitchell and Walker, Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly said: “We are extremely close to re-signing Latrell and Cody – hopefully on Wednesday.
“The negotiations have been delayed as a result of the uncertainty with the salary cap and CBA for the next five years, but the players and their management have been incredibly patient through this period. I want to thank them for this patience and understanding.
“They have all played State of Origin with our club, and had a number of individual awards in the red and green.
“Each of them has the character, resilience and desire to win that every great Rabbitoh player possesses. They are much loved by our members and fans and we want them to stay and ideally win a premiership with us.”
Mitchell, Walker and Cook still have another year remaining on their existing contracts.
DRAGONS SET TO SIGN TONGAN STAR
– BY MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
St George Illawarra are set to add international forward Ben Murdoch-Masila to their forward pack from next season.
Murdoch-Masila is in the final stages of being granted a release from the final year of his Warriors contract to link up with the Dragons for the next two seasons. A host of Super League clubs – including Catalans Dragons – were linked to the 31-year-old who will bring some experience and a point of difference to the Dragons forward pack. Murdoch-Masila has played 85 NRL matches including 11 at the Warriors this year. He joined New Zealand after five seasons in the Super League.
He played off the bench for Tonga in the World Cup where he was coached by Kristian Woolf – the brother of new St George Illawarra assistant coach Ben. Dragons coach Anthony Griffin also worked with Murdoch-Masila when Griffin was Tongan assistant coach.
The Dragons have been patient in their recruitment for next season with the club having some salary cap space and roster spots still free. They have only added Wests Tigers duo Zane Musgrove and Jacob Liddle. Should Murdoch-Masila’s signing eventuate as planned, the Dragons will still have three spots left on their roster.
PANTHERS FIGHT FOR STAR AMID CAP CRISIS
By Dean Ritchie
Penrith has refused to concede defeat in their desperate fight to re-sign star centre Stephen Crichton with Panthers chief executive declaring: “We will do everything we can to keep our best kids.”
