Penitani, Humphries and Ataata 2026-27 contract extensions
4th Aug 2025
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.
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.
Ref - SSFC [Viewed 5 Aug 2025] / FN-1