Souths set up key meeting with Arrow
RUGBY LEAGUE: South Sydney’s bid to lure Jai Arrow to Redfern will come to a head today at a meeting where a formal offer is expected to be tabled to the boom Gold Coast forward.
It follows the NRL’s decision not to lump the Rabbitohs with Sam Burgess’s $1 million-aseason contract payout on their salary cap.
The Rabbitohs are expected to blow the Titans out of the water in respect to the money they can direct at one of the game’s most exciting middle forwards.
South Sydney general manager of football Shane Richardson
has been handling all the negotiations so far with Arrow’s agent, David Riolo, but coach Wayne Bennett returns to training this week and will be eager to know where his squad stands.
The Titans have made no secret of their intention to do all they can to keep Arrow, but are restricted by the fact they are already forking out huge money for several underperforming stars who they just can’t offload.
The Rabbitohs see Arrow as the perfect replacement for Burgess, given what he brings on and off the field.
Bennett even took the unusual step last week of speaking publicly about his desire to coach Arrow.
The veteran coach rarely gets involved in the player market circus, so his comments further highlight just how serious the club is about getting this deal done.
While Arrow’s deal at Gold Coast runs for next season, there is a chance he can gain an early release if he settles his future in Sydney.
It would also potentially open up the salary cap space needed for the Titans to have a red-hot crack at Sydney Roosters star Latrell Mitchell.