Newcastle will have a Johns in their NRL squad again with Matthew’s son Jack returning to the club on a development deal.
Just weeks after being let go by South Sydney, Jack Johns has penned a two-year deal with the club his father Matthew and uncle Andrew made famous.
The lock played under-20s for the Knights in 2017, before moving to the Rabbitohs and making his NRL debut this year.
“Jack has developed both physically and as a footballer, while being a much different shape to Matty and Andrew,” Knights GM Danny Buderus said.
“His transition into a ball-playing middle forward with good footwork will provide a skillset which adds to the depth of our squad.”
Souths also released Bayley Sironen on Friday, with the son of Balmain great Paul headed to the Warriors on a 23-year deal.
Elsewhere, Wests Tigers continued their signing spree by locking in Penrith young gun Daine Laurie on a two-year deal from 2022.
The highly-rated fullback debuted for the Panthers this year and is a major coup for the Tigers at age 21.
It’s believed there is still some chance Laurie could end up at the Tigers next year, however that would only come if the Panthers made a decision to release him early.
It comes just a day after the Tigers secured South Sydney centre James Roberts for next season, while Panthers winger Josh Mansour also remains unsigned.
Meanwhile Korbin Sims is on the way out of St George Illawarra after taking up a two-year deal with Hull KR in the English Super League.
The Dragons confirmed on Friday morning that they had released the 28-year-old, who still had another year to run on his NRL contract.
Sims arrived at the Saints at the start of 2019 from Brisbane as part of a new beefed-up pack, with 120 games to his name and Fiji Test experience.
But he managed just 21 games amid injury and form concerns, including only five in 2020 where he began the season with a broken arm and ended it dropped.
The Dragons also confirmed the re-signing of forward Kaide Ellis, after he joined the club midway through the year from Penrith.
And former Melbourne representative prop Tim Glasby will return to the Storm as a recruitment officer.
Glasby was forced into retirement earlier this year after his move to Newcastle due to concussions.
