SOUTH Sydney are targeting reigning Intrust Super Cup player-of-the-year Cody Walker as Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire looks to bolster his playmaking options.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Souths have tabled a two-year deal to Walker after approaching the five-eighth in the wake of their disappointing 30-18 loss to the Raiders last Sunday.

Former Easts Tigers playmaker Walker was snapped by Melbourne over summer and must broker a release from the Storm to officially launch his NRL career at Redfern.

The 24-year-old was tipped to break through at the Storm this season but coach Craig Bellamy has opted for Ben Hampton to partner Cooper Cronk at the scrumbase.

Walker is currently living alone in Melbourne and with Aboriginal family members based in the Redfern region, he is hopeful Storm hierarchy will formalise a release.

media_camera Cody Walker in action for Melbourne Storm in a trial game against the Raiders.

The pursuit of Walker underscores Souths’ scrumbase struggles. Boom five-eighth Luke Keary is sidelined until at least round 18 with a shoulder problem, while halfback Adam Reynolds has been mired in an early-season form slump.

Walker is a clever ball-player who was the leading pointscorer in the Intrust Super Cup last season. He has received praise from Broncos legend and former Storm assistant coach Kevin Walters, who believes he has the ability to succeed in the NRL.

“Cody is a real talent,” Walters said recently.

“Cody actually came down to Melbourne in pre-season and he buggered his shoulder doing some wrestling drills, so we didn’t see a lot of him on the training field.

“But his attitude was good. There’s no questioning his ability and he will be a good acquisition for the Storm.

“With (Brett) Finch and Widdop moving on ... Ben Hampton is here but Cody is also a quality five-eighth and he will learn a lot from Cooper in the Melbourne system.”

Originally published as Bunnies target Queensland Cup gun