Super League target links up with club but is still chasing contract

Josh Mansour has been one of the more talked about notable free agents heading into the 2023 season and there’d been hopes a Super League side would land him.

Fresh off the World Cup with Lebanon where he managed to score a hattrick against Jamaica, he was effectively playing on the world stage to sell himself to any new suitors given that South Sydney released him mid-tournament on November 1st.

The hope for some Super League sides who were in need of a winger was that he’d want to remain in England for an extended period and sign up however he ruled that out recently despite the fact he expressed an initial interest in the move.

Fans seemed to think that he could have a new NRL club lined up with one team’s general manager teasing his potential signing on social media a few weeks ago.

Canterbury Bulldogs have recruited heavily this off-season, including a new coach as well, and it’s their training that Mansour has been spotted at.

Not so much spotted, but more a case of Phil Gould showing off to fans the prospect of the former Penrith man signing as he displayed him on social media.

Interesting spectator at Bulldog training today .. ⁦@NRL_Bulldogs⁩ pic.twitter.com/R0jiESdefm

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) February 2, 2023

However, if that move was set to happen, it now appears as if that is no longer the case with the winger joining up with the Newton Jets this weekend after two training sessions.

Though he is still looking for an NRL club before the new season.

“There’s nothing official just yet, but I’ll hopefully get all that wrapped up next week and we’ll go from there,” Mansour said to CODE Sports.

“I definitely want to get a top 30 contract if I can.

“There’s a lot of background chat that I’m trying to block out, but I still love the game and I’m not ready to throw in the towel.

“There’s a connection with George and Mick Habib, and a few of the boys, and they asked me if I wanted to train,” he said.

“I rocked up on Tuesday, and there were a few surprised faces. I don’t think anyone expected me to show up, but it was a good week.

“It was the first time I touched the footy in two or three months, so it was a bizarre prep to a game, and I still don’t know half the names here, but I’m looking forward to sharing their journey this year.”