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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      • At some point you have to be the one that outbids the other, attracting one big fish usually leads to more. Right now every big fish that goes to market is going to be looking at the eels as unattractive. 

        • Yep.

        • We have better players than the Dragons, and finished well ahead of them on the ladder, so how can you say they are a more attractive club? They got Koloamatangi because they made the biggest offer, not because they are a more attractive destination.

  • Odds are he won't see out the end of that deal 

  • We need a winger, we should get Murray Taulagi, we have no backup wingers and should try and get Tyran Wishart to play 6 then once the younger five eights are ready in our system move Wishart to a Dylan Walker type role in the future. We could still use another middle but I don't think we will have any chance of getting Tino unless we offer him the most 

    • We might have to bank on Sam Tuivaiti and Ryda Taulagi to be our starting props for 2028 and hopefully one or two can emerge as a big name prop 

      • The way the game is going with speed and mobility Jack Williams and Hopgood might be the best front rowers we have 

        • I think J'maine is going back to the 13 starting role and Jack De Belin would be starting at other prop with Junior.

      • If Matterson can actually focus for 2026 he should be pretty effective as a middle as well. Hes got the frame and speed 

  • Thank God for that. Not worth a mil. Souths also lost out with a similar offer to ours, is that a bad reflection on Bennett.

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More stuff to read

Frank The Tank replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"Keep telling yourself that mate.
This club has had people running the joint who are not remotely qualified. Absolute idiots who had no idea how to run a chook raffle let alone a club. Most have only been there to feather their own nests and we…"
56 minutes ago
Frank The Tank replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"If we had signed him, no body on here would've complained, but as we missed out, we dodged a bullet or he isn't worth $1mil yada yada."
1 hour ago
Poupou Escobar replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"He went to the Dragons ffs. They've made the finals once in ten years. That means every club in the game 'had the ability to get him'. They just needed to offer the most money. If we had offered the most we would've got him for sure."
1 hour ago
Poupou Escobar replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"No it's because we're not a strong club. We've had a revolving door of board members, CEOs, general managers and coaches since 1986 and won nothing. 'Accepting mediocrity' hasn't been the problem. Market forces are what's held us back."
1 hour ago
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