Bunnies retain quintet
South Sydney Rabbitohs have handed new contracts to five of their squad, including back-rower Shannan McPherson.
McPherson and front-rower Scott Geddes have signed for a further two years, and Shaune Corrigan and Chris McQueen for a further season.
The Rabbitohs have also secured the services of young gun Tyrone Ranuku-Phillips who starred in South Sydney’s Harold Matthews side this season.
Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson says it is a positive that the Club has been able to retain all of these players.
“These five players see a positive future at our Club and that’s why they have elected to stay with us,” Mr
Richardson said.
“Scott and Shannan are becoming a real one-two punch for us when they are on the field together and we see both of these players as part of our forward pack moving ahead over the next two-and-a-half seasons. They are in career best form and we believe they will continue to improve over the next two years. Their loyalty to the Club deserves recognition.
“Shaune and Chris both have fantastic attitudes to their football and their preparation and both are very positive influences to have around the Club. They are both young up-and-coming players who showed us their potential with their first grade appearances last year and we’re looking forward to having them back on the field as players to look out for in the years to come.”
Geddes, 29, will extend his tenure at the Rabbitohs to 11 seasons after signing on for 2011 and 2012. Geddes is one of two players to have stayed with the Rabbitohs since re-statement in 2002, the other being fellow forward Luke Stuart. Geddes has played 108 first grade games to date, all in the cardinal and myrtle of South Sydney.
McPherson, 24, has also extended his contract at his junior club for seasons 2011 and 2012. McPherson has continued to develop into a consistent first-grader for the Rabbitohs over the past six seasons after making his debut in 2005 as a 19-year-old. McPherson has played 61 first grade games to date, all with South Sydney.
Corrigan, 22, made his debut in round one of the 2009 season after impressing everyone with his pre-season form. Shaune played four first grade games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Corrigan is ready to play again after having an operation for compartment syndrome after this year’s pre-season matches, and will be fighting to regain the first grade jersey he earned last year.
McQueen, 22, also debuted last season, scoring a try in his first NRL match. A knee-injury sustained last season, and re-injured this year, will see him miss the entire 2010 season, making him even hungrier to regain a first grade position in 2011.
Ranuku-Phillips, 16, represented the NSW Indigenous under 16’s side earlier this year and has been selected in the NSW under 16’s possibles vs probables match. He scored 13 tries in this year’s Harold Matthews competition across ten matches played.
