Injured Rooster Brandon Smith has signed a two-year deal with South Sydney, according to media reports on Wednesday.
Smith, is yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery, but will join their near neighbour rivals for a deal worth an estimated $1.2 million.
It was reported that the deal was signed on Tuesday after Smith underwent a medical with the Rabbitohs. It is due to start from next season but was reported that the Roosters would be happy to let Smith go early.
Smith has been heavily linked with the club, whose coach Wayne Bennett made clear he wanted the player’s signature.
“Well, I wanted him at the Dolphins and nothing’s changed,” Bennett told AAP last week.
Smith noticed the master coach’s words.
“Yes I did see the interest from Wayne Bennett. Hopefully it’s real interest,” Smith told James Graham’s The Bye Round podcast.
“I’m stoked that he’s interested in me, but to be fair we had a pretty rough relationship.
“I did give him my word I was signing at Redcliffe and we all knew how that ended up.
“So you never know what might happen.”
Smith said he had hoped that Bennett had forgiven him for his decision to reject the Dolphins.
“When I broke my promise with him, I was speaking to Matty Johns about it and he was like ‘mate, how many times has he done that to a club’,” Smith said.
“I was like yeah, you’re right, but I felt pretty bad.
“Hopefully he’s forgiven me.
“Souths was my favourite team as a kid.
“My playing strip – I’ll get my parents to send one up – but my playing strip as a junior was red and green.”
