The South Sydney Rabbitohs have continued to build the foundations of the future of the Club on-field with more future stars committing to the Club’s pathways program over the next few seasons.
Following the recent announcement of more signings and extensions for players such as Zane Bijorac, Ben Lovett and Tyrone Munro, the Rabbitohs have extended more deals for currently contracted players, elevated some South Sydney juniors players into the Elite Player Pathways and Development system (EPPD) run by the Rabbitohs in conjunction with Souths Juniors, and recruited a number of players in from other clubs for the Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s, SG Ball Cup under 19s and Harold Matthews Cup under 17s squads for 2022.
Rabbitohs Head of Pathways and Player Development, Joe O’Callaghan, said: “During this drive, at all times, our focus areas are on making sure the best opportunities are offered to talented local catchment players and ensuring we continue to build with our goal of being consistently competitive across all these grades, every season.
“The main priority is making sure we are continuing to be specific in identifying and securing current age players in the playing positions we need and to have a constant flow of next generation NRL ready players internally coming through.
“We feel as though the partnership between ourselves and Souths Juniors in developing the EPPD has been a success and we’re constantly working to make sure it continues to be a success, providing players with opportunities to perform at their best, learn from the highest calibre coaches and to give themselves the best chance to progress to the NRL.”
2022 Under 17s Harold Matthews Cup
12 spots have already been filled in this squad based on performances in the Rabbitohs squad when they were a year young in 2021 and also as a reward for others that have been recruited from the representative calendar this year in these age groups.
Of these initial 12 selected we are pleased that 75% of those players are from our local catchment Souths Juniors competition. The remaining 20 spots for our pre-season squad will come from our upcoming invitation trials.
To express your interest in trialling for a position in the under 17s Harold Matthews Cup squad for 2022, please click here. Expressions of interest close on Friday 3 September.
Key retentions for 2022:
Daniel Wright – Wing
Joseph Teaupa – Halfback
Mateus Heslin - Second row
Key gains for 2022:
Zane Rugless – Five-eighth (Sydney Roosters Harold Matthews Cup)
Daniel Fetaiaki Lua – Second row and Lock (U15 NSW Schools Merit Side)
Setefano Sele - Prop (Botany Rams and U18 NSW CHS)
Braden Billach – (Outside back) (Alexandria Rovers and U15 NSW CHS)
Jack Tucker - Prop (Botany Rams)
2022 Under 19s SG Ball Cup
The Club has completed its recruitment and retention in this space and have filled all 32 spots for the pre-season squad for this team. The Rabbitohs are looking to make sure we can continue to build off our successful top four finish in this competition in 2021, with things looking very positive for 2022. 81% of this 32-player squad are classified as locals, having either graduating from our 2021 Harold Matthews squad or retained as they were a year young in our 2021 SG Ball Squad.
Key retentions for 2022:
Joseph Nohra – Halfback
Louis Grossemy – Second row
Luca Ace-Nateski – Centre
Carson Kaho – Wing
Tyrone Munro - Centre
Key gains for 2022:
Jaxson Rahme - Lock (Balmain Tigers SG Ball, U18 NSW Schools Merit Side and Australian Schoolboys Merit Side)
Emmanuel Kandidakis - Centre (North Sydney Bears SG Ball and U18 NSW CCC)
Thomas Fletcher – Second row (Western Suburbs Magpies Harold Matthews Cup and U18 NSW CCC)
William Arrage - Front Row (Cronulla Sharks SG Ball)
Keanu Wright-Dunrobin - Utility (Parramatta Eels SG Ball)
2022 Under 21s Jersey Flegg Cup
The Rabbitohs are close to finishing their recruitment and retention in this space with only a couple spots left remaining for the pre-season squad for this team.
This group will be a great mix of retention of a lot of exciting 20-year-olds from the 2021 Flegg squad, some great new additions looking for fresh starts in 2022 after the COVID cancellation of the competitions and most importantly ensuring that the Club has kept together the nucleus of the top age SG Ball players from the successful 2021 campaign as they continue their journey with our club through the grades.
In total 12 players from the Rabbitohs’ 2021 SG Ball squad have come to terms with the Club to sign with our Flegg squad for next season.
Key retentions for 2022:
Evan Manning – Wing
Dion Teaupa – Five-eighth
Isaiah Vailalo - Prop
Romano Cook – Hooker
Tallis Duncan – Lock
Ben Lovett – Second row
Chaise Robinson - Fullback
Key gains for 2022:
Thomas Giles - Prop (Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg)
Trent Griffiths - Prop (Illawarra Steelers SG Ball)
Ryan Garner – Second row (Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg)
Solomon Torrens - Lock (Tweed Heads Seagulls, Gold Coast Titans)
Josh Rikz - Utility (Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg)
Please stay posted for more information in the coming weeks regarding recruitment and retention within the Rabbitohs’ female pathways system for our 2022 Harvey Norman Women’s premiership campaign and the Rabbitohs’ new under 19 Tarsha Gale Cup squad.
