The Leeton product was the only Rabbitohs player involved in each of their 27 games on the way to a 14-12 grand final loss to Penrith this year.

It was part of a breakout season for the 31-year-old.

Nicholls struggled to make his mark in the NRL with Canberra and Melbourne but has made the most of his chance with South Sydney, scoring five of his six career tries in the past two seasons.

He's proof hard work can pay off.

"It's been a crazy ride," Nicholls said.

"To think at 31 I would play my best year in the NRL whe most blokes are thinking about retiring is pretty crazy, but it is what my journey has been.

"I worked I played 28 games first grade games in my first seven seasons being in a top squad, which is probably not the best strike rate, but I stuck with it, kept working hard and kept remembering how grateful I was in be in that position - that I was living out my dream as a four-year-old kid growing up in Leeton.

"Fortunately for me it has worked out and I keep getting to do this journey for a couple more years."

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Nicholls is contracted for the next two seasons with the club, who he captained for one game leading into the finals.

It's something he knows he will look back on once his playing career is over.

But for now he's looking to help South Sydney add to their premiership tally.

"Hopefully we can do what Penrith did to us and use it as motivation to get premiership 22 in 2022," Nicholls said.

"It has a nice ring about it."

Nicholls returned to the Riverina on Tuesday as part of his work with the Salvation Army.

Over the past four years he's volunteered to help feed the homeless in Sydney and feels it is a great way to give back to the community.

"When I was down in Melbourne I can still remember the conversion with Nate Myles when he fed the homeless and just how much he got out of it, how grateful people were and how good it felt to give back just a little bit of his time," he said.