Former Hull FC and Bradford Bulls man Franklin Pele has been handed a surprise NRL lifeline ahead of 2026, with the prop forward joining the ranks at the South Sydney Rabbitohs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old forward began the 2025 season with the Bulls in the Championship, but after just 11 appearances, he headed to France to join third-tier rugby union side Racing Club de Narbonne.<\/p>\n
Pele made a total of 34 appearances across his one-and-a-half seasons in the UK, 26 for Bradford and eight for Hull FC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Franklin Pele joins South Sydney Rabbitohs ranks for 2026<\/p>\n Speaking on the Rabbitohs Radio Podcast<\/a>, Rabbitohs Recruitment Manager Brent Hill confirmed Pele will take a spot in the club\u2019s New South Wales Cup squad ahead of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a very big unit,\u201d said Hill. He hasn\u2019t arrived from France yet; he\u2019s waiting for his daughter\u2019s passport.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he arrives, he\u2019s a very big boy, as big a front-rower you\u2019ll get. He\u2019s a big front-rower, which we need.\u201d<\/p>\n This will also be his first stint back in Australia since he left the NRL in 2024, having previously spent time with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks.<\/p>\n During his previous spells, Pele made seven NRL<\/a> appearances \u2013 one for Cronulla and six for Canterbury \u2013 alongside 34 reserve grade appearances for Newtown Jets and the Bulldogs reserves.\u00a0In his time in the reserve competitions, Pele also scored 16 tries.<\/p>\n His arrival at the club also comes amid a reshuffle of the Rabbitohs\u2019 New South Wales coaching staff. Ex-Rabbitohs man Eddie Paea has now joined head coach Wayne Collins\u2019s staff ahead of the 2026 campaign, while Jason Peterson also remains in post.<\/p>\n Fellow former Rabbitohs man Ben Lovett has also joined the pathway coaching system, taking up a post in the club\u2019s Jersey Flegg Cup coaching group. This was also a position he took up last season, during his knee rehabilitation.<\/p>\n SATURDAY\u2019S READS ON LRL<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb New Leigh recruit lauds Leopards\u2019 Papua New Guinean connection as 2026 targets set<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Warrington Wolves pair join Championship newcomers ahead of 2026 as siblings reunite<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Leigh Leopards coach delivers 2026 recruitment update as Robbie Mulhern transfer links addressed<\/a><\/p>\n