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
MORE TO COME
Replies
I think flanno is a pretty good coach but he basically needs an allstar team to get wins. Doesn't seem like he's a good development coach,
His manager deserves a medal. Getting a five year deal at his age, on that coin is the deal of a lifetime. I hate even four year deals so very glad we didn't chase the deal at all costs.
Extra year would have been the sticking point. He will be turning 29 at the start of the 27 season. A 4 year contract would bring him to 33 at the end of the contract. He'd be unlikely to get another contract worth a million at 33.
That's 100% correct ps. If you're not prepared to sign a 33 year old prop to a million dollar contract, then its the coach's selfishness in putting himself before the club's long term interests offering a 29yo a 5 year deal. That's how club's crash and burn, but flannagan will have made his money by then.
Has anyone considered that Kolomatangi may have just preferred Shane Flanagan as a coach over Jason Ryles is that even on the radar.Maybe just maybe the vision Flanagan sold to Kolomatangi was better than what Ryles sold at Parra.
I don't think it was all just about the coin like a lot will speculate though no doubt this is part of the equation.
You raise a very good point Coryn , I'm a fan of Ryles and he is the only hope Parramatta has but he has shown that he is not a draw card nor does he have the ability sell his vision to players .
Regardless if you were a fan or not of Blaze Talagi Parramatta were desperate to keep him and Ryles had numerous meetings with him trying to convince him to stay yet Blaze was not buying what Ryles was selling.
So essentially we have a Coach , CEO , head of football and directors who have proven that they don't have the ability to attract players or keep their own players unless no other club is chasing them .
The Roosters were discussing Longi as a future replacement for Teddy earlier in the year but decided to go in another direction , had the chooks wanted Longi Parramatta would of had zero hope and this is the problem at the club as they can't compete with other clubs and it shouldn't be this way because Parramatta have more advantages at their doorstep than any other club in nsw, but we don't have the people at the club who have a clue how to take advantage of these advantages and these same people have had years trying , but apparently they are not the problem.
-
24
-
25
-
26
-
27
-
28
of 28 Next