Graham and Murray 2020-21 Contract Extension
9th November 2018
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are excited to announce the contract extensions of young stars Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham until the end of the 2021 season. Both players are products of the South Sydney Juniors system and both have extended their contracts for a further two seasons. Rabbitohs General Manager of Football Shane Richardson says both Murray and Graham are key retentions for the Club. "Both Cameron and Campbell have shown they have what it takes to become regular NRL players and also to perform at the highest representative levels of the game in time," Mr Richardson said.
Murray, 20, established himself in the Rabbitohs' forward pack in 2018 after making his first grade debut against the Brisbane Broncos the previous season. Murray's strong defensive technique and incisive charges with the ball-in-hand paid dividends for South Sydney in 2018. Murray is a young leader at the Club, having captained the New South Wales under 20s side in 2017 at the age of 19, as well as captaining the New South Wales under 18s the season prior. He has represented Australia with both the Junior Kangaroos and Australian Schoolboys, and he captained Newington College in his final year of school in the Sydney GPS Rugby competition. Murray is also the first Rugby League player to be awarded the Macquarie Sports Scholarship in 2018, a program run by Macquarie Bank for elite athletes with an interest in pursuing a career in the financial sector post their sporting career. Murray is a Mascot Jets junior. "Cameron is a workhorse and has made an impact on our team from the moment he was selected in first grade. His work ethic is second-to-none; he has the respect of his team mates, coaches and staff; and is a young leader amongst our squad. Richardson said. Murray says he could not be happier about re-signing with the Rabbitohs. "I'm really happy to know I'll be here for at least the next three years, playing for the club I grew up supporting, the club my father played for and the club I was born into," Murray said. "This club has a very bright future and I'm really excited to be playing under the administration we have here at Souths. "I love playing for such a large fan base and it's great to be part of a club where our Members play such a big part in driving our success. "It's a special place and I fell privileged to be part of it."
Graham, 19, has played 21 NRL games since making his first grade debut against the Dragons at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2017. He represented the Australian Schoolboys for two years in 2016 and 2017, co-captaining the side in 2017 alongside Dragons player Zac Lomax. Graham has featured predominantly on the wing to begin his NRL career however he can also play centre, a position he has played in at representative and under 20s levels. Graham progressed through to the NRL from the Coogee Randwick Wombats club. "Campbell is still eligible for the under 20s but his efforts in the NRL have seen him earn a spot in our back line over the past 18 months. He can play centre and has played wing already at NRL level and we're all excited to see what he can achieve with more full time training and more NRL experience under his belt." Richardson said. Graham is also excited to have secured his future for the next three seasons. "I definitely see my future here at this club," Graham said. "I'm really happy with my progression over the past few seasons and I'm really grateful for the opportunities the Club has provided for me to start my career. "There are definitely exciting times ahead and I can't wait to play my part in that for my team and the Members."