Cody Walker stays put with Rabbitohs until at least 2023

Cody Walker will stay at South Sydney until at least the end of 2023 after the five-eighth inked a one-year extension with the Rabbitohs.

Souths did not waste any time locking down the playmaker who will be forced to take charge of the club on the field moving forward after the departure of halfback and Walker’s good friend Adam Reynolds.

Cody Walker will remain at Souths until at least the end of 2023.Credit:Getty

Walker and Souths ramped up negotiations after the grand final loss to Penrith last month. They have made a point of wanting Walker, 31, to remain at the club long after he retires, especially because of his passion for community work and standing in the Indigenous community.

There were fears Walker would be enticed to head north and reunite with Wayne Bennett and Redcliffe at the start of 2023.

Talk of him being the next $1m player was never going to happen, and even though he could have bumped up his asking price had Souths won the premiership, Walker will still collect around $700,000 in the final year of his deal.

Walker is desperate to win a competition with Souths and have an influence on the Rabbitohs’ next generation, including potential halves partners Blake Taaffe and Lachlan Ilias.

“I’m really happy to be extending my stay at South Sydney for another season. This is my home,” the two-time George Piggins Medallist said.

“I’m really excited about what is ahead for the team under ‘JD’ (coach Jason Demetriou) and we have some young stars coming through who are going be great players for this club.

“I feel I have a role in helping lead this team over the next few years and making sure these young boys have every opportunity to put their best foot forward as they start out their NRL careers.

“We have a great culture within the team and the club, and it’s also a club that respects our cultures outside of football.

“The work that we get to do within the community through Souths Cares and other initiatives like the Rising Warriors Program through Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation, the club knows how important that is for me and supports me and the other boys in what we want to do to help the community. That’s so important for us and it only binds us closer together.”

The club have already extended Mark Nicholls, Keaon Koloamatangi, Alex Johnston and now Walker in the four weeks since the shattering loss to Penrith.

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