St George Illawarra Dragons bosses are hailing the signing of South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi as a “transformative moment” for the NRL club. The NSW Origin and Kangaroos forward turned down a big-money offer from Parramatta and the chance to remain at Souths to ink a five-year deal with the Dragons from 2027, which is reportedly worth around $5 million.
Koloamatangi was outstanding for an injury-plagued Rabbitohs side in 2025, with his impressive form earning him an Origin recall and a spot in the Kangaroos squad for their victorious Ashes series. Dragons coach Shane Flanagan made no secret of his desire to recruit an elite middle forward and the club showed its intent by flying the forward on a helicopter from Sydney to Wollongong during a sales pitch late last year.
NSW Origin star Keaon Koloamatangi (L) turned down interest from at least two other NRL clubs to sign a five-year deal with Shane Flanagan’s (L) Dragons from 2027. Pic: Getty
“This is a transformative moment for our club and our future,” Dragons chief executive Tim Watsford said after confirming the deal on Tuesday. “Keaon is one of the premier forwards in the NRL and a proven leader. He’s someone who drives standards every single day.
“He had significant interest elsewhere, so the fact that he chose to join the Dragons – and commit for five years – tells you everything about where we are heading. We have a group of exceptional young forwards coming through our system, and bringing in a leader of Keaon’s calibre to guide and inspire them is critical for us.”
Keaon Koloamatangi was part of the Kangaroos squad for their Ashes clean sweep against England at the back-end of 2025. Pic: Getty
Koloamatangi is set to link up with a talented young forward pack at the Dragons, which includes Couchman twins Toby and Ryan, as well as Dylan Egan and Hamish Stewart – all who’ve been unearthed in the last couple of years. And the 27-year-old admits the chance to lead a new era at the Dragons convinced him to make the switch after being sold on the club’s vision for the future.
Keaon Koloamatangi eager to lead new era at the Dragons
“I’m excited to be joining the Dragons. The club’s ambition really impressed me,” Koloamatangi said. “I’ve been watching the squad they’re building and the young forwards coming through, and I want to be part of driving that next era. I’ve loved my time at Souths, but I am looking forward to bringing my experience, my standards and everything I’ve got to the Red V.”
The signing will give the Dragons an incredible addition of firepower up front, with Koloamatangi establishing himself as one of the game’s premier middle forwards. After playing most of his career on an edge, Koloamatangi was shifted to prop by master coach Wayne Bennett last season and outplayed Broncos premiership winner Payne Haas and Wests Tigers prop Terrell May during back-to-back wins for Souths.
Koloamatangi showcased his exceptional engine room in a memorable 80-minute game at prop last season where he ran for a whopping 329 metres and made 51 tackles. Koloamatangi represented Tonga before switching allegiances to Australia and has played a combined 14 Tests for both countries.
with AAP