A despondent Alex Johnston has accepted that his dream of being a one club player with South Sydney is over as he is now officially on the lookout for a new NRL club.
Johnston has been told that the Rabbitohs can't fit the 25-year-old under their salary cap for next season.
“I would have to say I am pretty upset,” Johnston told The Daily Telegraph.
“I wanted to be a one club player. I grew up as a Souths junior (playing for La Perouse). It is all I wanted.
“But I have to face facts and face reality now. It is probably not going to happen. It looks like the way the salary cap is that Souths won’t retain me next year so I am going to have to look elsewhere.
“I am upset about that.”
Despite his disappointment, Johnston says he still hopes to chalk up a significant milestone in his time left at the club.
“I have scored 89 tries and I will try and crack 100 this year,” he said.
Johnston first came to fame as a teenager, playing the part of a young Greg Inglis in an NRL commercial and debuted alongside him in 2014.
Johnston also has previously played for Australia and was being touted as the Rabbitohs' long-term fullback.
However, the Rabbitohs have significant depth in the backs with Latrell Mitchell, Dane Gagai, Campbell Graham, Braidon Burns and James Roberts which has pushed Johnston out the door.
On the possibility of switching to the wing for a permanent spot, Johnston says he just wants to prove his worth for a team.
“I’d like to think so,” he continued.
“I want to prove a point. I know what I can give.
“It would be good to get some interest from other clubs. I do understand at the end of the day I can’t fit under the salary cap and they are going to have to move me on.
“I am pretty upset by that but I have to face the facts. I am ready to get offers from wherever and whoever and go from there.
“I have a point to prove and I can contribute a lot to good teams. I want to win another comp as well.”
With his family all Rabbitohs fans, Johnston has admitted the decision has been tough on them.
“Obviously it will be hard knowing how much the club meant to me and how hard it will be for me to move on,” he said.
“But wherever I am next they will definitely support.”
Absolutely guttered! There are outside backs that don’t deserve to be there more than AJ!
Rid of Jet & Burns before you throw out our own!
Bad luck for Alex but no doubt he will have some good clubs chasing his skills. I imagine he would do fantastic at Manly, Parra or Roosters
Of the other Rabbitohs players listed I would likely have Alex ahead of all of them especially Jet
The Jet hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since his return to Soufths, but we all know what he’s capable of. Something’s obviously gone askew with him but I’m sure he will bounce back.
AJ won’t have any trouble finding another club. It will be Soufths who lose out when he’s gone.