Alex Johnston contract: Growing partnership with Latrell Mitchell could keep flyer at Rabbitohs
He’s back in the headlines after another try-scoring spree, and South Sydney speedster Alex Johnston has oppositio sides jostling for his signature. But a key factor may see him remain at South Sydney.
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Alex Johnston’s developing on-field chemistry with Latrell Mitchell could be the key to keeping him at South Sydney next year.
It comes as Johnston’s management revealed “there has been plenty of interest” coming from rival NRL clubs for the off contract flyer.
But while Johnston is already being chased by up to four rivals club, News Corp can reveal that Wayne Bennett is now even more determined to try to find a way to make the salary cap fit so he can keep the much-loved local junior.
Bennett is absolutely loving the way Johnston and Mitchell are combining the more games they play together.
And it was well and truly on show in the 32-24 comeback win over St George Illawarra.
Not only did Johnston finish with a hat-trick of tries that included two run away intercepts, but some of the plays he and Mitchell combined for were just magical to watch.
The issue for Souths now is that after telling Johnston recently that he would need to find a new home, rival clubs are now showing increasing interest.
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Johnston’s agent Steve Gillis seemed extremely confident whichever way it goes Johnston would have a choice who he runs out for in 2021.
“He is not going to have any trouble finding a home and we are working through the process,” Gillis said.
“There has been plenty of interest in him.”
Johnston makes no apologies for feeling hurt that the Rabbitohs made the call they did, but he now seems to have accepted that his future could be elsewhere.
“I’m a local junior and I’ve always maintained that I always wanted to stay at Souths,” Johnston told Channel 9 immediately following the win over the Dragons.
“But at the moment it’s not looking likely.
“I think there’s a lot of salary cap issues there.
“Hopefully tonight I put my best foot forward and some clubs get some offers through.”
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Bennett said after the game that making the salary cap fit was the problem but he privately hopes Souths can come up with a solution.
The issue might be that the Rabbitohs may struggle to match what some rival clubs may be willing to offer.
Meanwhile, Johnston’s three tries against the Dragons pushed his career tally to 93 tries from just 134 games.
Johnston has set himself the challenge of trying to clock up 100 tries for the Rabbitohs before the end of the season so if he is forced to leave he goes out with a personal milestone.
It could see him overtake the legendary Bob McCarthy at fifth on Souths’ all-time tryscoring list. McCarthy scored 100 tries in 221 games. Nathan Merritt leads the way for Souths with 146 tries from 218 games.
Originally published as Alex Johnston contract: Growing partnership with Latrell Mitchell could keep flyer at Rabbitohs