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Join our Fantasy SRP league"X-Factor we need": Arrow's big praise for new Rabbitohs recruit
Sam Kosack • January 29th, 2026 6:42 pm
Jai Arrow has described David Fifita as the X-factor the Rabbitohs need to return to finals football after a disastrous 2025 campaign.
The Rabbitohs narrowly avoided the wooden spoon last season, largely on account of one of the worst injury tolls a club has experienced in a single season.
Arrow was the only South Sydney player to play every game in 2025, but with almost all players fit and back on deck, the Rabbitohs are hopeful of mounting a genuine premiership tilt.
With all eyes on finals, Souths have been active in the transfer market, bringing in eight new faces, most notably among them being David Fifita.
The forward makes the move from the Gold Coast Titans with the hopes of reviving his career under Wayne Bennett, having missed Origin selection the last two seasons.
At his best, Fifita is one of the most damaging and dangerous players in the NRL, and Arrow is hopeful the Brisbane-born second rower can return to that form in the cardinal and myrtle.
“He (Fifita) looks really well,” Arrow said on SEN 1170 Drive.
“He's come to the club open-minded… fit, strong, and you've obviously seen the size of him. He is one large human being, and I think the scariest thing is that he's still so young.
“He's got so much footy ahead of him and he still has a lot to give the game, and we're so excited to have him at the club.
“The bloke scores hat tricks for fun sometimes, so he's just that game breaker and that X-factor essentially that we need, and he's a forward, so that's a bonus.”
The added enforcement of a fully-fit Fifita will be of much benefit to the Rabbitohs who spent large chunks of last season without Latrell Mitchell, Tevita Tatola, Campbell Graham, and Cody Walker, amongst others.
However, the player to miss the most time was captain Cameron Murray, who missed the entire season bar 48 minutes in the final game with an Achilles rupture suffered during pre-season.
Murray will line up for the Rabbitohs in Round 1 against The Dolphins, and Arrow identified his captain as the player his side missed the most in 2025.
“He hasn't missed a beat, Camo (Murray),” Arrow said.
“He's someone who's so professional, and I think he spoke about it fairly openly that you don't realise how much you miss something until it's taken away from you.
“So, he's taken every opportunity this preseason to get himself fit.
“He was probably one person thinking back to all the injuries that we have had that we sorely miss as a footy side.
“He brings so much energy and speed around the ruck and defensively, and we miss him as well, so he's someone I'm very much looking forward to being back with and playing consistent footy.
“I personally think he's the best 13 in the game when he's fit and firing, so I can't wait to be back with Camo playing footy.”
Arrow will bring up his 200th NRL game this season in Round 22 if he remains injury-free.
