St George Illawarra have landed a huge recruitment scalp by securing Australian star Keaon Koloamatangi to a long term near $5 million deal.

It is understood that Koloamatangi has told the Dragons he will join the club from 2027 on a five year deal. The contract is now in the cooling off period.

It is a clear circuit breaker for the Dragons who were in the market for a marquee player.

Koloamatangi’s current club South Sydney wanted to secure him as did Parramatta.

The Dragons though look set to land the prized recruit after gazumping the Eels and Rabbitohs with a monster five year deal

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            • Are you serious, ur take is ridiculous!!!!

              • We aren't really in a desperate spot for middles or forwards right now to be throwing that kind of money around. The guys we have played pretty well last season and let's see how Tuaviti and Moretti look in 2026. Hopgood and Williams in the middle as well and Paulo. It's not like the club desperately needs Keon to save them 😂

              • Would obviously love to have him on board but he'd rather take dragons money and do nothing that's up to him 😂

              • $5 million over 5 years will be ok once you include inflation and the salary cap raising..

                • We need outside backs and a 5/8 more then Keon. Yes he's a great player but not as high on the list as backs and a 5/8. We'll be fine 

          • For once I agree.

      • The length of the deal is too long.  He doesn't start there until he's 29. .   Usually players are on the downslope at around 29 or 30.   5 years isn't a smart move

        • Smart move for the player. If we'd signed Koloamatangi on the same deal as the Dragons offered, it'd be no different to the RCG/Paulo extensions many criticised the club for.

          • I mean if the difference simply was the 5th year, which to be fair takes him to 33 on decent money, I mean fair enough but at the same time if a club like Dogs or Cronulla or hell even Manly I reckon offered 4 they probably had a better chance of convincing him.

            Sorry if I'm wrong Pou, but I do not remember many being angry about the RCG and Paulo extensions.

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HKF replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"The way it works now is you are signing players for 2 season from now not next season,  if we don't sign players for 2027 now then you don't get new players until 2028 at the earliest.  Sure, you might get lucky and someone falls into your lap for…"
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LB replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"Poppa it is more so the fact we go for players and get half of them, if they are chased by other clubs our odds drop massively. Look at our 3 signings for this year. JBD who was told by saints he wasn't wanted and we gave him a deal. Pezet who is…"
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Blue Eel replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"Pops I think your just playing the otherside to keep people honest. I cannot believe that you are not a little bit concerned about the amount of players they have negotiated with to come up empty. I for one don't need to know exactly what they did…"
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Poupou Escobar replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"The rival offer definitely matter, because that's what we would've had to match to be a chance of signing him. Koloamatangi will be 33 at the end of this contract. Merkins said Paulo and RCG were signed too long and they were both 32 this year."
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