Off-contract Dolphins second-rower and centre Euan Aitken is reportedly weighing up a move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2025 season and beyond.
It comes after his current coach Wayne Bennett also confirmed he will join the embattled South Sydney club from the start of 2025 recently, with his own deal at the Dolphins expiring.
Bennett will be replaced by Kristian Woolf at the Dolphins from the start of next season, and News Corp are reporting the NRL's latest expansion club could only offer Aitken a one-year extension.
It's believed Aitken wanted longer than that on his next deal, and will chase it at South Sydney, who are currently anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder after 12 rounds of the 2024 campaign.
The report suggests Aitken may well sign a deal of up to three seasons at the now Maroubra-based club to continue his career.
As it stands, Jack Wighton and Campbell Graham are the starting centres, although Wighton may well be used in the halves moving forward, while the second-rower has an open spot likely next to Keaon Koloamatangi, with no guarantees Jai Arrow remains in the starting 13.
In what had been a diabolical start to the year for the Rabbitohs, Jason Demetriou was sacked some weeks ago with the Rabbitohs promising a roster overhaul in the coming months as they aim for better.
Aitken could be the first signing in that run, with the experienced edge player having impressed during his time at the New Zealand Warriors and Dolphins, having originally made his NRL debut for the St George Illawarra Dragons.
At one time a specialist centre, versatility now may be the 28-year-old's strongest attribute.
Bennett had previously promised not to take any Dolphins' young guns that the club wanted to keep with him to the Rabbitohs, with Lewis Dodd from England currently the only signing for next year.
