SOUTHS president Steve Young has welcomed the re-signing of highly credentialled forward Frank-Paul Nu'uausala as the Lions strive to go "one better" in 2024.
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Nu'uausala, who turns 37 in February, has opted for another Newcastle Rugby League season having put retirement plans on hold at the start of this year.
The contract development comes on the back of an impressive campaign by Souths, winning 13 of 16 games on the run home to a grand final.
Nu'uausala's prop partner at the Lions, Brendon Simpson, hung up the boots following a 46-10 loss to Maitland in the decider at McDonald Jones Stadium last month.
"We're going to need to tighten up our front-row stocks because Simmo leaves a fair hole, but Frankie's going again and hopefully we'll get some strength around him," Young told the Newcastle Herald.
"I've got a funny feeling that if we win that grand final he [Nu'uausala] probably bows out but his words to us were 'I can't finish like that, knowing what we've got'.
"He's got so much pride in what he does and what he puts forward ... we get so much out of him and he can still run rings around the younger guys in terms of time on field."
Young said hooker Mitch Black, who was a contender for Newcastle RL player of the year, also inked another deal at Souths
"He was literally the first one we grabbed, but the proviso is a real gentleman's agreement between us and him that if by chance there is another opportunity [higher up] he goes with our blessing," he said.
Young said Lions coach Andrew Ryan, who also has commitments at NRL club the Bulldogs and NSW under 19s, continues in the role.
Meanwhile, the President's Cup remains under "review" with NSW Rugby League confirming on Monday that a final decision about the future of the competition has yet to be reached.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
