Two NRL rivals to pounce on off-contract South Sydney flyer Alex Johnston
While beloved South Sydney flyer Alex Johnston is a chance of staying at the Rabbitohs, two NRL rivals have emerged as frontrunners to sign him if he leaves Redfern.
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Off-contract South Sydney flyer Alex Johnston gets no better chance to put himself back in the shop front window while waiting to see where his future will be next season when he takes on Melbourne on Friday night.
News Corp can reveal that while Johnston is still an improving chance of staying at the Rabbitohs, the Storm and Manly are now the frontrunners to sign him if he does leave.
While Souths still await a decision from teenage sensation Joseph Suaalii, it can be revealed that they are also working just as hard to try and find enough money in the salary cap to keep their beloved local junior.
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Johnston, 25, will be making his return after suffering concussion while scoring his second first half try against Manly, which forced him to miss last week’s smash-up of Parramatta.
But taking on Melbourne in a grudge match, that will also tell us if the Rabbitohs remain a fair dinkum premiership contender without Latrell Mitchell, is a prime chance for Johnston to impress a potential coach in Craig Bellamy.
The Storm are losing both Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu at the end of the season and Johnston would be an ideal replacement for Addo-Carr in particular.
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Souths were hoping to know this week what Suaalii’s future would be but there is still no clear indication on that front.
While Johnston has been named as Mitchell’s replacement in the No 1 jumper, Wayne Bennett indicated on Thursday that he could still switch Johnston and Corey Allen between fullback and wing throughout the match.
Allen was also spotted training at fullback during the week, and Allen showed some real touches of class when he shifted to fullback following the injury to Mitchell against Parramatta.
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Meanwhile, young Stephen Marsters is also a big chance of a late call-up if Dane Gagai fails to return from his hamstring injury.
Losing Gagai would be another huge blow for the Bunnies backline stocks given they are already without first choice centres James Roberts, Braidon Burns as well as Latrell.
Not that Bennett was giving any excuses, knowing full well this is a chance for his players to show why they are still a genuine threat even without Latrell.
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“They still are looking good if we all play well,” Bennett said.
“Latrell is a wonderful player. He is obviously a loss to us.
“But we have had other players we’ve lost for the season and someone else is taking their place and doing really well. That is all that is important.
“Injuries are a part of it. Most of the top teams have players missing at the moment.”
The Rabbitohs are coming off big back-to-back wins over Manly and Parramatta but the Storm has long been Souths and Bennett’s bogey team.
Fox Sports Stats show the Bunnies record against the Storm is their worst against any club, with just five wins from 32 and they have also lost the last three and eight of the past nine.
Bennett has also struggled against Craig Bellamy, winning 10 of 36, and Bennett has also lost the last seven straight.
The match will also be skipper Adam Reynolds’ 200th NRL game.
Reynolds has been in outstanding form this season and his halves combination with Cody Walker has really gone to another level in the past two wins over Manly and Parramatta.
Originally published as Two NRL rivals to pounce on off-contract South Sydney flyer Alex Johnston