Rabbitohs Future Looking Strong with Focus on Pathways – Part Two
In part two of our in-depth look into the pathways structure, recruitment and retention, we take a look at the up-and-coming talents the Rabbitohs have across a variety of age groups and positions that will progess through to NRL contracts.
YOUNG GUNS IN THE PIPELINE
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have a number of highly talented players coming through the ranks or being recruited to the Club for the coming seasons, including the players highlighted from the ASSRL Championships.
Talanoa Penitani
Talanoa Penitani, 20, is a centre that is playing at the NSW Cup level with the Rabbitohs, having played at the NRL level in the pre-season trials earlier this year.
So far in 2025, Penitani has played 11 NSW Cup games and one Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s game, displaying his immense speed and footwork in some standout performances.
A Matraville Tigers junior, Penitani has been upgraded to an NRL Supplementary List contract in 2026 and an NRL top 30 contract in 2027.
Matthew Humphries
Matthew Humphries, 19, is a halfback or five-eighth playing at the NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup level after leading the Rabbitohs SG Ball Cup to the preliminary final this season. He won the player of the year award for the Club’s SG Ball Cup team in 2024 and the Harold Matthews Cup team in 2023.
Humphries, a Terrigal-Wamberal Sharks junior, played nine SG Ball Cup games this season, top scoring for the Rabbitohs with 76 points from four tries and 30 goals. He is now playing in the Rabbitohs’ NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup teams.
Humphries will be upgraded to an NRL Supplementary List contract in 2026 before progressing to an NRL top 30 position in 2027.
Salesi Ataata
Salesi Ataata, 22, is a prop forward with the Rabbitohs’ NSW Cup team, having played in the NRL pre-season matches and has been named on the extended bench for the Rabbitohs NRL team on a number of occasions in 2025.
Ataata, a hulking front rower standing 188cm tall and weighing in at 118kg, joined the club in 2025 from the Sharks, originally playing his junior football with the Otahuhu Leopards.
Ataata will remain on an NRL Supplementary Contract in 2026 with the Rabbitohs having an option on his services for the 2027 season.
Maddax Fui
Maddax Fui, 18, is a middle forward who helped lead the South Sydney SG Ball Cup team to the preliminary final in 2025, playing ten games with the Rabbitohs in his first season at the Club.
The big prop is a Campbelltown City Kangaroos junior that was part of the New Zealand under 17s squad, as well as coming through the junior representative system at the Wests Tigers.
Fui will remain on a NSWRL contract in 2026 before progressing to a 2027 NRL Supplementary List contract and a 2028 NRL top 30 contract at the Rabbitohs.
Elijah Keung
Elijah Keung, 19, is a middle forward who also played his part in driving the Rabbitohs to a preliminary final appearance in the SG Ball Cup competition in 2025.
The former Queensland Schoolboys representative that stands 191cm tall and weighs 110kg, played nine matches at the SG Ball Cup level this year, forming a strong middle forward rotation alongside Maddax Fui and Johannes Logan.
Keung will be upgraded to an NRL Supplementary List contract in 2026 before progressing to an NRL top 30 contract in 2027.
Yasin Kuscu
Yasin Kuscu, 19, is an electrifying fullback who has been part of the Rabbitohs’ junior representative system for the past four seasons.
Kuscu, a Coogee-Randwick Wombats junior, played Harold Matthews Cup under 17s for South Sydney in 2022 and 2023, as well as the SG Ball Cup under 19s side in 2024 and 2025. This season he played four games at the SG Ball Cup level due to two ankle injuries from illegal tackles, and was destined to progress to the Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s level this year before suffering his second injury in the SG Ball Cup preliminary final against the Parramatta Eels.
Kuscu will be on a NSWRL contract in 2026 before progressing to an NRL contract in 2027.
Phillip Lavakeiaho
Phillip Lavakeiaho, 18, is a new recruit to the Rabbitohs from the Roosters, joining South Sydney from the 2026 season.
Lavakeiaho is a big prop forward originally from Auckland, New Zealand, who had the honour of captaining the New Zealand Tū under 17s squad against the New Zealand Toa under 17s team in 2024. These squads were selected from New Zealand players based in Australia that were part of the NZRL’s Taurehere program, that played each other on the Gold Coast late last year.
Lavakeiaho has already played NSW Cup at just 18 years of age, and was a member of the Roosters’ SG Ball Cup premiership side this year. Lavakeiaho, a product of Matraville Sports High School in South Sydney territory, is playing in the Jersey Flegg Cup competition now that the SG Ball Cup competition has finished, and got a taste of senior football in the NSW Cup in June.
Described as a strong attacker and an aggressive defender, Lavakeiaho joins the Rabbitohs on a NSWRL contract in 2026 before being elevated to an NRL Supplementary List contract in 2027 and an NRL top 30 contract in 2028.
Further Signings and Re-Signings
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have further signings and re-signings in the pipeline from pathways football to NRL which will be announced at a later date.
Stand by for part three of our in-depth look into the future players and pathways of the Rabbitohs which will focus on changes made over the past nine months under Head of Pathways, David Furner, the recruitment and retention of players in the pathways system, and future proofing the Club.
