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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    • 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.

      • And then we signed 35 year old Jack  DeBelin for the start of his contract with us. thank god no one else wanted him. Imagine how embarrassing in missing out on him would have been to R&R. 

        • Bingo

        • He's on a one year contract after proving he is still up to NRL level. Koloamatangi has signed for five years without anyone knowing how he'll go at 30, much less 33.

          • Using the same logic Poupou  No one knows how Debellin will go at 35 either.

            • And if he's no good we don't extend him. He would be on a lot less next year than Koloamatangi at age 33 as well.

      • 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 

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Randy Handlinger replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
""making too much of a single line"...a single line from a player manager on a podcast. It really is trying to place meaning onto something that is basically an advertisment."
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Poppa replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"That's very hurtful GM ........do you not know I am a chronic "spewer" I honestly can't help it.....the "head" doctor thinks is being exposed to dumbasses and red necks........any ideas how this happens?"
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The Badger replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion St. George Illawarra Dragons secure Keaon Koloamatangi on long-term deal
"Then why did we go in with a big offer to get him? Obviously the club thought we have a hole there. Probably think our gun juniors will take several years to be any good, if at all.
Parra fans = Waiting, waiting, all the time waiting."
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