The South Sydney Rabbitohs are understood to have prepared a $2.7 million offer to bring former junior talent Joseph Suaali'i back to the club before Latrell Mitchell's recommitment to the club.
Suaali'i was famously in the middle of a lucrative bidding war between the Rabbitohs and arch-rivals the Roosters as a 17-year-old, with the latter managing to pry the highly-rated teenager out of Redfern in 2020.
The Penrith-born fullback, who had also gained reported interest from Rugby Australia, was granted an NRL exemption to play in the league before his 18th birthday in 2021, being the first to do so since Jason Taumalolo in 2010, given the circumstances of his significant salary.
A foot injury would curtail his rookie campaign with the Chooks before Suaali'i would enjoy a stellar 2022 season as an outside back for Trent Robinson, and would even make his international debut with Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup.
With each prolific performance Suaali'i pieces together for the tri-colours, the frustration in losing the teen sensation for the Rabbitohs only grows.
But Souths' past plans to have Suaali'i suit up in the cardinal and myrtle didn't end when he defected to the Roosters, with The Sydney Morning Herald revealing the Rabbitohs had pieced together a sizeable offer to potentially reclaim the young star.
A three-year deal totalling $2.7 million, split $800,000 in 2024, $900,000 in 2025 and $1 million in 2026, is said to have been prepared by the Rabbitohs as a 'plan B' for the club amid ongoing contract talks with their own star fullback in Latrell Mitchell.
Mitchell would re-sign with Souths on a lucrative long-term deal in December after drawn-out negotiations, but the multi-million Suaali'i deal is said to be prepared as early as June.
Having locked away Mitchell until the end of 2027, the Rabbitohs' interest in Suaali'i has now reached its cessation.
The Roosters will remain on their toes in talks with Suaali'i however, with the Samoan star's contract with the Sydney club built on player options for the years ahead.
It is understood that the Chooks are pressing to have an answer from Suaali'i for his 2024 option, wanting his future cemented sooner rather than later.
The Roosters have a majority of their top line locked away beyond this year, with Englishman Victor Radley and Origin-calibre winger Daniel Tupou among the leading names needing new deals for 2024.
The tri-colours will open their 2023 NRL campaign against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, March 5.