South Sydney Rabbitohs star forward Cameron Murray has re-signed with the club on a long-term deal.
Already contracted until the end of 2025, there had been no noise or speculation about Murray in recent times other than constant noise from rugby union given his future is secure for at least the next two years, but he has now taken steps to become a Rabbitoh until he is at least 30 years old.
He has officially added another three years to his tenure at Redfern, re-signing until at least the end of the 2028 campaign.
Murray was already on a reported figure of $950,000 per year, and it's a fair bet that the 25-year-old will see an upgrade come his way over the remaining two years of his current deal before the new three-year extension comes into play.
The forward's signing means he becomes the equal longest contracted player at the club alongside Tevita Tatola, who re-signed until the end of 2028 earlier this year.
Latrell Mitchell and Campbell Graham also re-signed this year until at least the end of the 2027 season, while Jack Wighton joins the club next year on a four-year deal that will see him remain at Redfern until at least the end of 2027.
Murray said the decision to re-sign was an easy one.
“This Club has always been home to me and I never saw myself playing anywhere else,” Murray said in a club statement.
“It was a no brainer for me to extend my contract here and I'm grateful to be able to represent South Sydney, our Members and fans every day.
“The Club has always looked after me and I feel like I've always done my best to put the Club's best interests at the forefront of anything I do.
“I'm really grateful to the Club for putting its trust in me to be a part of our next five years.
“It's my responsibility now to repay that trust with my performances on the field and my actions off the field.
“It is an absolute honour to captain this Club, to play alongside my teammates and to work with my coaches and the staff at the Club.
“I'm excited about the next five years but, as always, my focus and that of the team is on our next assignment at Accor Stadium on Friday night. I hope our Members and fans are as excited about this game as we are.”
The move is a big one for the Rabbitohs, with the Origin and Test forward handed the keys to drive the club into the future despite a 2023 season which has fallen well short of expectations and could see South Sydney miss the finals if they lose to the Roosters next Friday.
It also will put further pressure on South Sydney's already stretched salary cap, but head of football Mark Ellison said it was a priority to extend the club captain's contract.
“Cameron is one of the elite footballers in our competition, he is our on-field leader, he is everything that a South Sydney man should be,” Ellison said.
“I've had the pleasure of watching Cameron develop not only as a player, but as a person, since he was four years old. He comes from a strong family, he's born and bred in South Sydney, and he has become the man that every one of his teammates wants to play with. His father Corey played for the Rabbitohs, his sister Bryanna also played for the Club, and he is red and green to the core.
“He gives everything he has every time he plays for this Club, his State and his Country.
“We could not be prouder of Cameron and everything he has achieved to date, knowing that he has so much more that he wants to accomplish at this Club over the next five-and-a-half seasons. We are over the moon to know he sees his long-term future in Rugby League with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.”
