Veteran forward Adam Elliott has secured an NRL lifeline following his Newcastle stint, signing with his fourth club.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have secured Elliott on a one-year deal, the club confirmed on Saturday.
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Having passed all requisite medical testing, the 31-year-old joins the Bunnies immediately, after his three-year Knights tenure ended last year.
Rabbitohs recruitment boss Mark Ellison says Elliott’s long-time consistency will add to the club’s forwards ranks.
“Adam has been a consistent performer at the NRL level for a decade now, and we feel he will add experience and create more depth within our forwards stocks this season,” Ellison said in a statement.
“He is renowned as a hardworking and aggressive forward, a punishing defender, and he has a reputation as a leader of men and a player that teammates want to play with.
“We’re looking forward to seeing him in red and green this season, and we welcome him, his wife Millie, and his children Lenny and Gigi to the Rabbitohs family.”
Elliott’s final season in Newcastle didn’t go according to plan, restricted to just seven games as a serious biceps injury stunted his progress, before not being offered a new contract by the club.
Elliott, who began his NRL career with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2016, also played one season at Canberra in 2022 before signing on with the Knights.
The experienced lock, who’ll arrive as welcome depth after the Rabbitohs saw Davey Moale, Jacob Host, Shaq Mitchell, Siliva Havili and Ben Lovett depart, is expected to battle for a bench spot.
STORM CONFIRM EXIT OF STAR DUO IN BRUTAL DOUBLE BLOW
The Storm have confirmed that Nick Meaney and Tyran Wishart will leave the club at the end of this season with the pair all but certain to head west and link up with the Perth Bears.
Code Sports reported on Thursday that Meaney will join the Bears from 2027, giving the expansion club an option at fullback and centre, although it’s being suggested that Meaney will wear the No. 1 to begin the Bears’ inaugural season.
Meaney will also assume goalkicking duties.
Code Sports also revealed that Wishart was close to signing with Perth but given Melbourne’s announcment on Friday morning, it appears the utility has agreed to terms with the expansion club.
“Both Nick and Tyran have been fantastic contributors to our Club over the past four seasons,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said via a club-issued statement.
“It’s always difficult to lose people of the calibre of Nick and Tyran but we understand their decision given the opportunity in front of each of them.”
After a quiet start in free agency, the Bears have picked up some momentum on the recruitment front, signing Bulldogs prop Josh Curran earlier this week.
Premiership winner Liam Henry and former Dogs playmaker Toby Sexton will also wear Bears colours in 2027.
It’s been a busy few days for the Storm, who may have considered Meaney expendable given they are desperately keen to sign star outside back Zac Lomax.
Meaney may not be the only Storm centre on the move with Jack Howarth reportedly linked to a move to the Eels (see below).
STORM STAR LINKED TO EELS IN BID TO END LOMAX STANDOFF
Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield has sparked speculation the Eels may be looking at a player swap over a standoff with former star Zac Lomax.
Lomax is keen to join the Storm for the 2026 season and Melbourne are keen to have him, but any deal is dependant on the Eels.
The terms of Lomax’s release included stipulation he could not sign with a rival NRL club for the remainder of his Eels contract.
“Jack Howarth for Zac Lomax,” Rothfield posted on social media.
While Rothfield didn’t expand on the suggestion of a player swap, it is likely that releasing Lomax would be dependent on the Eels getting something in return.
That could come in the form of financial compensation or in the form of a player swap, with Howarth the calibre of player to fit the bill.
Howarth is signed until the end of the 2027 season, so any swap would be dependent on him and his camp agreeing to join the Eels.
The 23-year-old has scored six tries in 33 games for the Storm since his debut in 2023 and played in the last two Grand Final teams, but missed most of the 2025 decider through injury.
Howarth has history with Eels coach Jason Ryles from his time at Melbourne as an assistant.
Ryles has already brought former Storm players Josh Addo-Carr and Jonah Pezet to the club since taking charge at the Eels.
Howarth has plenty of potential, but injuries have restricted him to playing a maximum of 16 games in the last two seasons.
Earlier this week Lomax reportedly hired the same lawyer that represented Israel Folau in his dismissal case against Rugby Australia, in a bid to gain a full release from the Eels to join the Storm in 2026.
The Daily Telegraph reported Lomax hired Ramy Qutami, who successfully represented Folau in his fight against being dismissed by Rugby Australia, in a bid to free himself from the Eels to join Melbourne.
Lomax was released by the Eels one year into a four-year deal on the condition they hold the rights to his NRL future over the remainder of that deal, which expires in 2028.
The representative star is seeking a full release from his Eels deal, which will allow him to take up an offer to join the Storm.
Lomax and his support team may argue the terms of his release have changed due to the fact the R360 competition he was set to join has been delayed until 2028.
Qutami has represented a number of professional players, including Folau, Jarryd Hayne and recently Francis Molo in his fight for a release from his Dragons deal to join the Dolphins.
The Storm have the salary cap room and the intent to sign Lomax, but are waiting on the Eels to give permission for the representative star to join them in 2026.
However, the Eels have made it clear they have no desire to release Lomax from the terms of his deal with the club over his initial release.
The Eels initially rejected the audacious move from the Storm to sign Lomax amid his uncertain future following the delayed R360 competition.
Code Sports first reported Parramatta rejected Melbourne’s bold play to sign Lomax for 2026 due to the terms of his release from the final three years of his Eels deal.
The Eels agreed to release Lomax under the condition he didn’t sign for another NRL team for the remainder of his contract.
The Storm requested permission from the Eels to talk to the former Blues and Kangaroos star about a potential deal for 2026.
The Eels rejected the request, but negotiations between the two clubs are set to continue as the Storm are still interested in Lomax’s services.
The Storm have salary cap space after the recent departures of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jonah Pezet.
The unfortunate injury to Eliesa Katoa, who has been ruled out of the 2026 season has also given them more room to move with their cap.
Parramatta have the rights to Lomax over the next three seasons if he returns to the NRL and will need to agree if he decides to return to the NRL.
Eli Katoa returns to training with Storm | 00:43
Lomax is without a contract for 2026 after the R360 rebel rugby union competition was delayed from an October 2026 start date and pushed back until 2028.
Lomax was set to join R360 with his sporting career now in limbo amid offers from the Western Force and ACT Brumbies.
However, Lomax’s potential switch to Super Rugby has stalled after Rugby Australia refused to guarantee a top-up on his $400,000 deal with a state franchise.
Lomax gave up a $700,000 a season contract with the Eels, which means he is out of pocket $2.1 million over the next three years.
He also gave up an $850,000 deal with the Dragons to move to the Eels on a four-year deal.
The Storm play the Eels in Round 1, which means Lomax could line up against his old club for his first game since leaving the game, which would be a stunning turn of events.
The 26-year-old has scored 58 tries and kicked 368 goals in 133 NRL games for the Dragons and Eels since his debut in 2018 and has played six Origins for the Blues and three Tests for the Kangaroos.
The Eels have struggled to replace Lomax given how late in the season he was released, with Titans centre Brian Kelly inking a two-year deal on Monday.
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