The South Sydney Rabbitohs are likely to hand Jayden Sullivan a club debut in Round 1 after he was secured on a one-year loan deal from the Wests Tigers during the off-season.
Zero Tackle understands per sources speaking under the condition of anonymity that Sullivan has impressed new head coach Wayne Bennett during the pre-season and will begin the year at five-eighth with Cody Walker to miss out through injury.
It was reported last week that Walker suffered a calf injury in January and was in doubt for the club's season opener, which will come against Bennett's old club in the Dolphins.
It's now understood Walker will return from the calf injury in Round 2 as a best-case scenario, meaning Bennett needs to choose a five-eighth.
Former Canberra Raiders star Jack Wighton spent time in the halves for the Rabbitohs during his first season at the club, but it's believed South Sydney want him to remain in the centres as much as possible.
That means Sullivan, who has failed to hit the enormous potential he showed in helping the Dragons to an SG Ball title five years ago, will start at five-eighth in his first game for his new club and will likely then revert to being the first backup in the halve thereafter while holding things down in the NSW Cup.
The Wests Tigers have made it clear Sullivan is free to leave the club rather than returning at the end of his loan stint, so every game the youngster plays in the top grade for South Sydney is a chance to put himself in the shop window.
It was also reported by Wide World of Sports during the week that Lewis Dodd was no guarantee of playing in Round 1, with Jamie Humphreys potentially in line for the halfback jumper after impressing during pre-season training.
Sources have revealed however that Humphreys is more likely to play the bench utility for the Maroubra-based outfit, with Dodd a guarantee to start the year in number seven after making the switch from the English Super League during the off-season.
Dodd has been rated by many as the best English playmaker in many years, having found instant success in the Super League, but whether he can handle the switch to the NRL remains to be seen.
Many spine players have made the switch from England to Australia over the years and struggled. That hasn't been the case in the forwards where names like Sam Burgess and James Graham have become among the best in the competition.
Lachlan Ilias (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Dean Hawkins (Parramatta Eels) were viewed as the long-term halfback options when Adam Reynolds left the club for the Brisbane Broncos, but both have departed during the off-season, leading to a fresh view in the seven at the foundation outfit following the signing of Dodd.
Humphreys meanwhile left the Manly Sea Eagles during the off-season in hopes of landing game time at the Rabbitohs, and with the ability to play multiple positions, should feature prominently in the club's plans this year.
If he does indeed win the bench utility spot for the Rabbitohs, it could leave an interchange bench that features the recently re-signed Tallis Duncan, Dolphins recruit Euan Aitken and former Manly forward Sean Keppie with the likes of Lachlan Hubner, Thomas Fletcher, Ben Lovett, Siliva Havili and Shaquai Mitchell providing excellent squad depth.
South Sydney is desperate for improvement in the first season of Bennett's second stint in charge, having finished at the wrong end of the ladder last year.
