Round 16, 2025. Rabbitohs down to the bare bones against the Storm. Battered by injuries, written off by everyone, yet somehow they push Melbourne all the way to golden point. And Jai Arrow played his heart out for the full 80. Huge defensive efforts. Massive carries. A try-saving tackle to keep Souths alive. The type of performance that summed up his entire 2025 season. Then comes the ending. Papenhuyzen field goal. Game over. After the siren, Arrow was absolutely gutted. No handshakes. He stormed straight off the field, kicked over a bench seat on the way to the sheds, and later admitted it was a “bit of a hissy fit” caused by pure disappointment. Some people hated the reaction. Honestly? I loved it. Not because of the bench kick or the no handshakes — but because you could see how much the game genuinely meant to him. It wasn’t fake passion or robotic “good game brother” stuff five seconds after a heartbreaking loss. It was raw emotion from someone who had emptied the tank for his club. Looking back now, it hits even harder. Arrow played every single game in 2025 despite his own shoulder issues, carried a depleted Souths pack all year and won the George Piggins Medal as the club’s best and fairest. That moment after the Storm loss captured exactly who he was as a player: tough, emotional, passionate and willing to give absolutely everything for the jersey. Now he’s facing a far bigger fight than footy. ❤️

Cameron McInnes says his priority is to stay at Cronulla, but admitted “it would be cool to be part of an expansion club” when asked about the PNG Chiefs as a potential option. (@IsaacIssaRL)