Two months after Nutira left Gundagai to chase his NRL dream with St George Illawarra, New Zealand counterpart Jaye Pukepuke has signed with Southcity for next year.

One of the hottest properties in the player market, Pukepuke was pursued by a raft of clubs, including big-spending Maitland, before settling on the Bulls on Tuesday night.

Southcity president Rod Porter was yesterday thrilled to have defied the challengers to secure the controversial 34-year-old Kiwi forward.

Speaking to The Daily Advertiser, Porter said Pukepuke had an imposing "football pedigree".

"He's (Pukepuke) also got the size we've been missing the last few years," Porter said yesterday.

"As much we've had some really good forwards, we haven't had someone who could punch holes in the line.

"That's something we've been missing since Nathan Vagg and Dave McGrath were here together."

Front rowers Vagg and McGrath were the Southcity bookends when the Bulls triumphed in the Group Nine grand final in 2011.

The Wagga club, however, has subsequently lacked the same authority in the pack as Albury has swept to a spectacular hat-trick of Group Nine premierships.

Porter yesterday stressed the deal with Pukepuke had not come down to the bottom line on the contract.

"He was offered more money to go to Maitland," Porter said.

"He chose to come Wagga.

"We would like this to be a long-term arrangement."

Pukepuke, who played alongside Nutira in the New Zealand Maoris team last year and this year, has his football roots in Auckland.

As a teenager he was in Auckland Warriors Colts system alongside Monty Betham, Ali Lauitiiti and Wairangi Koopu before his life - and career -turned sour.

At 20, he was sentenced to jail, serving six years in two stretches.

Porter said Pukepuke has more than "atoned" for his earlier misdemeanours.

"That's a long way in the past," Porter said.

In recent years, Pukepuke has built a formidable reputation in New Zealand, including winning a premierships at club level and making several national representative teams.

Pukepuke, who has worked as a youth worker in Christchurch, and Nutira played for the New Zealand Maoris on the Gold Coast earlier this year, catching the attention of talent scouts.

With Pukepuke secured - he will come to Wagga at the end of January - Porter said the Bulls were still looking for other recruits.

"It's not a rumour that we're interesting in outside backs," Porter said.

The Bulls have lost stars Daniel Fitzhenry, Peter Little and Will Merritt since the end of the season, but are poised to clinch a deal with Kade MacDonald from Kangaroos.

MacDonald's versatility will be a bonus for the Bulls, who have also regained Weissel Medal-winner Kyle McCarthy.