Souths in limbo with Walker, Arrow
AS South Sydney prepare to ramp up negotiations with boom Gold Coast forward Jai Arrow this week, star fiveeighth Cody Walker’s future at the club is also reaching a critical stage.
Stopping short of putting a deadline on the 29-year-old who has been offered a twoyear extension for 2021-22, Rabbitohs general manager of football Shane Richardson conceded the club would like a decision “sooner rather than later” on the Palm Beach Currumbin High product.
Souths put the extension to Walker several weeks ago but so far the negotiations have not moved forward.
It is understood Walker’s management have indicated the current offer of a reported $650,000 a season is way below what they had in mind, which was more around the $850,000 a season mark.
“We made an offer three weeks ago and we are waiting to hear back from his manager,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, Richardson is expected to meet Arrow’s agent David Riolo soon.
Neither Richardson or Riolo would comment about that although it’s no secret the Rabbitohs have identified Arrow as the man they want to take over from Sam Burgess.
While the Titans don’t want to lose Arrow, the Rabbitohs are desperate to get the 24year-old and they are planning to make an offer as soon as they get the green light from the NRL in respect to how Burgess’s medically forced retirement will impact their salary cap.
If the Rabbitohs get the full freight for Burgess’s $1 million contract back on their cap, that would make it almost impossible for the Gold Coast to compete with.
While he doesn’t have Burgess’s huge profile just yet, Arrow is seen as exactly the type of player the Bunnies would like to build a future on.