WAG holds key to Rabbitohs securing Origin star Jai Arrow
South Sydney have confirmed they are eyeing off the signature of Queensland star Jai Arrow, and the trump card to the move may be Miss World Australia 2018, Taylah Cannon, the partner of the gun Titan.
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With a possible war chest of around $3 million, South Sydney have made an approach to sign Queensland front-rower Jai Arrow.
Arrow’s partner Taylah Cannon, who was last year’s Miss World Australia, has told friends a move to Sydney could help her modelling career.
Now that Greg Inglis, John Sutton and Sam Burgess have retired — and George Burgess has shifted to Wigan — the Rabbitohs have money and are poised to have a crack at Arrow, who is off contract after next season.
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Rabbitohs general manager of football, Shane Richardson, said his club had “an interest in Jai Arrow”.
Arrow, 24, didn’t re-sign before the NRL’s November 1 deadline and is testing the waters on the open market.
Six clubs are ready to pay the Gold Gold Titans and Queensland prop around $850,000 to $900,000 a season over four years. Many believe he will one day captain the Maroons.
Souths co-owner Russell Crowe is always prepared to use his considerable influence to secure a high-profile player but the Rabbitohs cannot make a formal offer until they know how much salary cap dispensation they will receive for the early retirement of Sam Burgess.
Arrow was born and bred on the Gold Coast and would prefer to re-sign with the club.
However, he has become frustrated over the Titans’ on-field struggles and wants to consistently play finals footy. A sense of loyalty means he will let the Gold Coast make the final offer.
“The club has made an inquiry about Jai Arrow through his manager but that’s all we have done at this stage, as we have done with a whole range of different players,’’ Richardson said.
“But we haven’t made an offer yet. Until we get a decision from the NRL (about Burgess) we can’t really move on anything.
“I haven’t spoken to Jai on the phone yet and neither has anyone else at the club, but I have spoken to his manager (David Riolo) about his availability from 2021 onwards.
“At this time, it is a very limited inquiry.”
Riolo was reluctant to discuss Arrow’s contract negotiations but did confirm strong interest in his client.
“Jai is a quality player and quality players are always going to attract a lot of interest in the market,” Riolo said.
“He will weigh everything up and look at all his options. He will work it out from there and probably (reach a decision) early in the New Year. Jai is a Gold Coast junior.”
Rivals clubs will want an answer on Arrow around Christmas-New Year so they can pursue other players if unsuccessful.
“Players who are going to cost between $500,000 to a $1 million a year are more likely to be approached earlier — and get done earlier — because interested clubs want to know whether they have them because it’s such big chunk out of their salary cap,” one manager said.
“And if you miss out, there may not be an equivalent player available. That would change a club’s direction.
“Clubs would want to now earlier rather than later what lies in store with current and future rep players.”