Keaon Koloamatangi reportedly makes contract call

A three-club race had broken out.

Keaon Koloamatangi has reportedly ended a three-club race for his services before it could begin by opting to re-sign with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

While the news is not yet official from South Sydney, it’s well-known the club were desperate to extend his contract prior to November 1 when he could hit the free agency market.

It was believed the St George Illawarra Dragons and Canberra Raiders were among the clubs set to offer big dollars for the star second-rower to switch away from Redfern at the end of 2024.

But now they won’t get the chance, with News Corp reporting the Rabbitohs have completed a deal for the contract extension of the State of Origin debutant and Tongan representative who is currently in England with the national squad ahead of a three-Test series.

It’s reported that the Rabbitohs, in their desperation to get a deal done, held further talks with Koloamatangi’s management this week and that he has now agreed to a three-year extension that will see him remain a Rabbitoh until at least the end of 2027.

The timing of the report is suspicious at best given Koloamatangi only recently revealed that no deal would be completed prior to his return from England, meaning he would be free to negotiate with other clubs fromk November 1, although he admitted at the time that his preference was to remain at Redfern.

“My manager has been doing that, he knows that I have been going away touring, so I’m letting him do all that (extension talks),” Koloamatangi told News Corp earlier this week.

“Me and my manager Ty, we have a great relationship, he’s been my manager since I was 15 so I trust him with my life. I know he’ll do the best for me.

“I’ll probably make a decision when I come back from England.”

The forward has played 82 NRL games since his debut.

Nathan Merritt’s sister says the South Sydney great’s condition is “improving slightly”, with the 40-year-old remaining in a Sydney hospital.

Merritt was rushed to the city’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Friday and placed on life support, after being found unresponsive at his aunt’s residence.

The former Rabbitoh is believed to have had an adverse reaction to prescribed pain-killers.

Merritt’s sister, Teanne, posted on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon to say the family had received somewhat positive news on the winger’s condition.

“We have been advised that Nathan is improving slightly but has a long road to recovery,” Teanne Merritt posted.

“We thank everyone, family and friends that have come up to visit Nathan and all the well wishes and kind words from all.”

A cult hero at the Rabbitohs, Merritt scored 154 tries in 237 NRL games and remains equal-12th on the league’s all-time try-scoring lists.

He retired from the NRL in 2014, but played in the Koori Knockout on the NSW Central Coast earlier this month.