Could Brandon Smith join Rabbitohs this year? Only if sworn enemies can do a deal

It has been reported Souths will offer Smith a deal worth about $550,000 a year for 2026 and 2027. They still have one spot available on their roster for this year.

Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to comment publicly confirmed Smith is happy for the move to happen sooner rather than later.

Smith is being paid about $850,000 this year by the Roosters, and any mid-year move would require South Sydney to pay about $350,000 for the final five months of the NRL season.

Souths have little space remaining in their salary cap to bring in Smith, which means the Roosters would need to pay a portion of that $350,000 to fast-track the exchange.

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“We’re talking with Brandon’s management at the moment,” Souths chief executive Blake Solly said.

“Clearly Wayne’s interested, and Brandon’s said he doesn’t want to let Wayne down a second time [after he rejected him at the Dolphins], so we’ll see where we get to over the next few days and weeks.

“We don’t really have a lot of space in terms of the cap available this year. Our discussions have been about next season. We’ll see what happens.”

Souths skipper Cameron Murray is likely to miss the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Smith is capable of playing lock forward to partly cover that loss and would also complement Peter Mamouzelos at dummy half.

The Roosters, Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers on Monday helped launch the first Gadhu Gathering, which will feature three games over three days at Allianz Stadium during Indigenous Round. To prove there is no love lost between the old clubs, the Rabbitohs will refuse to use the Roosters’ home dressing rooms when they host Parramatta that weekend.

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