Latest news with #JyeGray
ABC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Royce Simmons: I put a call out and there's 30, 40 people wanting to help out
Penrith legend Royce Simmons is off and walking as he takes on another Big Walk to raise money for his foundation to tackle Dementia. This year he's heading to the Glen Willow Sporting Complex in Mudgee but stopped off at Western Sydney Stadium. He told Brett Sprigg and the team that the Rugby League community has pulled together again even if he hasn't had Luke Lewis out on the road with him yet! Plus Souths gun youngster Jye Gray jumped on for a chat ahead of the clash with the Eels. He told the team what a confidence boost it is to have Supercoach Wayne Bennett back him as fullback even with a fit Latrell Mitchell back in the side. Plus you can get your tips for the weekend in Christopher's Corner.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Damning reason behind calls for Latrell Mitchell shift as Bennet faces tough decision
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is facing growing calls to keep Jye Gray in the No.1 jersey for the remainder of the season after Latrell Mitchell made a successful switch on the weekend. Mitchell was a massive inclusion for the South Sydney Rabbitohs last weekend and ignited the side's attack in the win over the Gold Coast Titans. Bennett has mostly named Mitchell in the No.1 jersey this year when fit, but opted to play their star in the centres due to a lack of options due to injury against the Titans. And the Rabbitohs talisman helped set-up the first try for Alex Johnston in the 20-18 win. The victory saw the Rabbitohs jump the Titans on for and against with Gold Coast now sitting in the wooden spoon position. Although both teams are fighting to avoid last place going forward with a number of huge games emerging. And Bennett is now facing a tough call on whether to keep the winning formula or shift Mitchell back to fullback. Gray was excellent against the Titans on the weekend having run for 181 metres and offered a lively presence at the back for the Rabbitohs. The team has benefited from Gray's energy back in the side having missed him for a number of weeks after his round 15 setback. And leading NRL commentator Andrew Voss has claimed Bennett should leave Gray in the No.1 jersey with the stats proving the team have benefited when he is at the back. The Rabbitohs have won five of 12 games when Gray has lined-up at fullback in 2025, according to However, they have only won two of seven games when Mitchell was playing fullback. While there are plenty of factors to consider when tossing up the skills they bring to the team, Voss feels the Rabbitohs look better with Gray at fullback and Mitchell at centre. 'I said it at the start of the year. Remember at the start of the year when Latrell wasn't there, Souths were winning games," Voss said on SEN Radio. 'I just think Jye Gray, in that particular side, is the energiser bunny. I think he is a first grader and his only position is fullback.' NRL great Greg Alexander wasn't as convinced as Voss and claimed he would move Mitchell back when fully fit. 'I'm not confident Jye Gray is the man," he added. 'Where would Jye Gray fall in the pecking order of fullbacks?' Voss pointed out Gray's energy at the back benefited the Rabbitohs and he would leave Mitchell at centre. And Alexander accepted if playing centre meant Mitchell could play the majority of a season then it could be worth it keeping him there going forward. Mitchell has only played 11 games so far for the side in 2025 due to injury and State of Origin. 'I think after playing less than half of games over the last three years, it is worth a roll of the dice to leave Latrell in the centres," he added. 'He can still have an impact on the game. He only needs 10 touches and he can come up with a couple of try assists, a line break and a big play. He can do that in the centres. It's worth having him play a bigger part of the season." Wayne Bennett praises Latrell Mitchells return This isn't the first time this season fans have debated where Mitchell's best position is for the Rabbitohs. Fans will find out where Mitchell is named for the clash against the Eels on the weekend with a win maybe enough to help Bennett avoid his first ever wooden spoon. The coach was full of praise for Mitchell on the weekend having returned and captained the side from left centre. Mitchell hadn't played in a number of weeks due to a quad injury, but was ready instrumental in the win. "We probably don't win if he doesn't play," Bennett said. "The other guys have all been playing their hearts out and doing their best. He's just a quality player, in the top four or five in the country, and showed that today."
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Young guns add to South Sydney contract speculation
Young gun Jye Gray hasn't denied he may leave South Sydney for a rival league when his contract expires at the end of next year. Gray was reportedly given a $US600,000 ($A922,000) contract to join rugby union's global start-up R360 competition, which is set to begin in 2027 and serve as a rival to the NRL. If the 28-cap Rabbitohs fullback was to join, he might play alongside stars including Ryan Papenhuyzen, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Zac Lomax who are all in negotiations to join the breakaway league. "My manager is looking after everything outside of that, but I'm just excited to play Gold Coast this weekend," Gray told reporters on Thursday. "I played rugby only a little bit in school, but that's about it." Jye Gray strikes! 🙌#NRLSouthsCowboys — NRL (@NRL) April 12, 2025 Gray also spoke about Lewis Dodd's signing saga after reports coach Wayne Bennett had reportedly told the Englishman he's free to look elsewhere for next season aired on Tuesday. The $2 million signing insists his future remained at Souths, telling reporters Bennett had been playing "games." But, Gray told reporters Dodd deserves to stay in Australia regardless of his future with Souths. "I think he's a great footballer, and he's an even better bloke off the field," Gray said. "He will have a future in rugby league. And, whatever he has to do is up to him. "He will get a crack somewhere." Jacob Host has his own contract issues to deal with at Redfern. The second-rower's contract expires at the end of 2025 and has confirmed he's talking to other clubs. However, he was more focused on South Sydney's match against the Titans which has been coined the "Spoon Bowl". A win would lift the Rabbitohs off the foot of the ladder and jump their opponents. Host said ahead of Sunday, Bennett had banned the words wooden spoon in the locker room. "It's a word we are not allowed to say," Host said. "He just avoids it at all costs. We've had a lot of injuries this year. "We're just trying to go out there, keep the gloves up and keep fighting every week." Latrell Mitchell, meantime, got through two thirds of Thursday's training session after he was named on the extended bench. Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham were also seen running, with Host confirming they are "only a few weeks away".
News.com.au
06-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Jye Gray offered monster deal to join rebel R360 league in fresh blow to Rabbitohs
Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray has reportedly been offered $900,000 to join rebel rugby union competition R360 despite having played just 28 NRL games. The 21-year-old has emerged as R360's latest high profile target, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Gray is contracted with Souths until the end of 2026 but the Rabbitohs are now in a battle to retain the diminutive fullback after the bumper offer from the rebel rugby union competition. Other NRL players targeted by R360 include Ryan Papenhuyzen, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Zac Lomax and Herbie Farnworth. Gray could be a genuine chance to join R360 in 2027 given he has played rugby union before during his high school years at The Southport School on the Gold Coast. Gray, who was named NRL Rookie of the Year in 2024, has scored 11 tries in 28 games for Souths. Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett previously told Code Sports R360 is a Super League level threat that could seriously damage the NRL. R360 has reportedly acquired the necessary funding from Saudi Arabia, the UK and United States to kick-off in 2026 with aims to be profitable by 2027. 'It's a huge threat, absolutely,' Bennett said. 'The NRL is the toughest competition in the world with the best athletes. 'We are absolutely under threat. We cannot ignore it. 'I don't know how we combat it but I will say this - the game needs to come together sooner rather than later in terms of the CEOs and the game itself. 'Let's talk about what the hell is going on out there. 'Have the conversation we need to have with each other and discuss how do we stop it, what do we do? 'They will be looking at the star players like (Nathan) Cleary, Latrell (Mitchell) or Reece Walsh, they are the ones that the fans pay their money to watch. 'If we lost just 10 or 12 players like them, it will leave a massive hole in our competition. 'Look at the golf. Who would have thought LIV would be a threat but it is. The amount of money they have paid, we will never be able to match them if they (R360) are serious about the amount of money they have to spend. 'Where does this end for the NRL? 'The game has to address this and come up with a plan. 'We'd be foolish to suck our thumbs and hope to God it goes away.' Broncos great Corey Parker wrote for SEN this week: 'I'm at a point now if the R360 is taking off - and it's my belief it's going to - we have got our heads in the sand and we're not doing enough. 'The issue Wayne flagged is the player managers. So in the R360 if someone gets signed for a million dollars the R360 pays the manager 10 per cent on top. In the NRL, if a manager is on 6 per cent, the player pays that manager.' Bennett fights to avoid career low in Bunnies nightmare Gray's departure would be another blow to the Rabbitohs, who will be desperate to beat the Titans on Sunday as Wayne Bennett aims to avoid his first ever wooden spoon. This week Bennett and the Rabbitohs gave English playmaker Lewis Dodd permission to explore his options elsewhere in the NRL or overseas, less than a year after he was recruited to play halfback. Dodd has played just six NRL games in 2025, and just 68 minutes in the No. 7 jersey, despite signing a $2 million, three-year deal and a huge injury crisis at the club. On Tuesday Bennett dropped the 23-year-old to NSW Cup, instead opting for 21-year-old Ashton Ward and Jamie Humphreys in the halves. NRL 360 host Braith Anasta gave a frank assessment of the Rabbitohs' decision to sign Dodd, who won a Super League title and a World Club Challenge title with St Helens. 'It's one of the great recruitment blunders in NRL history,' Anasta said on Wednesday night. 'I just can't get my head around how (CEO) Blake Solly, (football manager) Mark Ellison are the ones flying to England to sign a premier half for your club without the permission of a coach. 'Everything I have heard out of the Super League, from coaches, players over there and even recruitment back here, is that there's four or five better candidates that could be better in our game over here, in the NRL,' Anasta said. 'I think there's just some accountability that needs to be taken there.'
The Age
06-08-2025
- Business
- The Age
A $900,000 offer after 28 matches. The NRL's latest Rugby360 target revealed
South Sydney utility Jye Gray has emerged as a surprise target for breakaway rugby competition Rugby360. R360 organisers are attempting to secure enough players to trigger the next rollout of private equity funds to ensure the concept gets off the ground. While the focus remains on signing established rugby union stars, a handful of NRL players considered capable of making a code switch have also been targeted. One of them is Gray. In some respects, he is a departure from the NRL names previously linked to R360 - including Ryan Papenhuyzen, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Zac Lomax and Herbie Farnworth - given he hasn't yet achieved marquee status in rugby league. However, Gray, who has played just 28 NRL matches and comes off contract at the Rabbitohs at the end of 2026, has a history in the 15-man code. He made his mark in rugby during three years at The Southport School, a prestigious GPS school on the Gold Coast. A potential 2027 start for Gray in R360 has been floated. The school's former coach, Mike Wallace, rated Gray among the best players he had overseen during his long association with the school, and the Queensland Reds expressed interest in Gray. Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity due to confidentiality said that R360 was prepared to offer Gray $US600,000 (A$920,000) to commit to the start-up competition. There has been speculation that R360 could be based in a tax-free state such as Dubai, which could make it even more financially lucrative for those considering joining. The Rabbitohs, who on Wednesday granted Englishman Lewis Dodd permission to seek a new contract elsewhere, and Gray's manager were contacted for comment.
