Out-of-favour Wests Tigers half Jayden Sullivan has joined South Sydney for the 2025 season but will remain contracted at the joint-venture club for the two years after that.
Only days after the Tigers cut second-rower John Bateman loose, the three-time reigning wooden spooners announced Sullivan had also been released.
The 23-year-old former Dragon had signed a rich four-year deal to join the Tigers from 2024 and was starting halfback for their first game of the season.
But Sullivan quickly fell out of favour under new coach Benji Marshall, who preferred Lachie Galvin, Latu Fainu and Aidan Sezer as halves options.
Sullivan made only eight first-grade appearances in his first season at the Tigers, the last of those in early June.
The arrival of superstar signing Jarome Luai looked set to further diminish Sullivan's opportunities this season as he and Galvin prepare to start in the halves come round one.
The Tigers will nevertheless retain Sullivan for the final two seasons of his deal in 2026 and 2027 after his year at Souths.
"'Bud' is a good person and a very talented player, and we all hope this move works out for him," Marshall said.
In the meantime Sullivan will bolster a Rabbitohs side expected to start English recruit Lewis Dodd and veteran Cody Walker as its round-one halves pairing.
"Jayden is a great talent and we think he can play his best football here at the Rabbitohs under the guidance of Wayne (Bennett, head coach)," said Souths' head of recruitment and retention Mark Ellison.
"He will add to our depth in the five-eighth and halfback positions and we are looking forward to Jayden joining us for pre-season training."