Koloamatangi slams door on big money Dragons, Raiders bids to stay with Bunnies
October 12, 2023
Keaon Koloamatangi has slammed the door on big-money approaches from St George Illawarra and Canberra before they could even officially land in front of him, instead re-signing with the South Sydney Rabbitohs through to 2027 before his free agency was opened to all clubs on that critical November 1 deadline.
The Rabbitohs knew they were racing against the clock, especially because the Dragons and Raiders were lurking with mega-money deals.
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Negotiations within the club went well though, The Sporting Base has heard, and Koloamatangi has now agreed to play on in the cardinal and myrtle at least until the end of the 2027 NRL season. The extension means he’ll earn up to $200,000 to $250,000 less a season, but turned down the chance to talk to the other clubs in favour of showing loyalty to the Bunnies.
“[Me and my family] had a bit to think about going into November 1 and I wanted to get something done before then with the club,” the re-signed star said today.
“I’m grateful that everything has panned out. My family and I are happy and we think that Souths is the best place to be for our future.
“There’s massive belief here that we can win comps. We’ve been very close in recent years so I didn’t want to leave and throw away all of the hard work we’ve done, as well as the hard work we have in front of us. That’s not in my DNA.
“The Rabbitohs are always in the forefront of my mind and I want to win at least one comp here before I retire.”
The 25-year-old debuted in 2020 and quickly became a mainstay in the Rabbitohs team, racking up 82 appearances since. He made his State of Origin debut in game three this season and is now preparing to tour England in a three-Test series with Tonga. He has already played five games for the international side.
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Koloamatangi joins a raft of re-signings at the Rabbitohs, including Damien Cook (to 2025), Campbell Graham (2027), Latrell Mitchell (2027), Cameron Murray (2028), and Cody Walker (2025).
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