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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Dragons recruit star Tongan forward Koloamatangi
Scott Bailey, AAP •  January 6th, 2026 12:17 pm
Keaon Koloamatangi | Photo: AAP
Keaon Koloamatangi has declared he wants to be a driving force in St George Illawarra's next era, after being unveiled as the Dragons' best signing in years.
Dragons officials confirmed on Tuesday that Koloamatangi would join the club on a five-year deal from South Sydney in 2027, keeping him at the Red V until 2031.
The move will give St George Illawarra some much-needed power up front, with the deal believed to be in the vicinity of $AU5 million ($NZ5.7m) across the five years.
St George Illawarra have unearthed a host of good young forwards in the past two years, including the likes of Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart and the Couchman twins.
But in Koloamatangi they now have a genuine alpha in the pack, with the 27-year-old having played State of Origin for NSW and 14 Tests.
"I'm excited to be joining the Dragons. The club's ambition really impressed me," Koloamatangi said.
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"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."
Koloamatangi is understood to have attracted interest from several parties, with top-tier forwards at a premium in the current market.
After playing most of his career in second row, Koloamatangi was one of the NRL's best front-rowers last season after moving into the middle at the Rabbitohs.
Nowhere was that impact felt more than his initial shift to prop, where Koloamatangi played 80 minutes in the middle.
At one stage the imposing star outplayed Payne Haas and Terrell May in successive weeks, running a combined 494 metres while taking an injury-stricken South Sydney to back-to-back weeks.
Koloamatangi's 2025 form was rewarded with a call-up for the Kangaroos' tour of England, having previously represented Tonga.
"This is a transformative moment for our club and our future," Dragons chief executive Tim Watsford said.
"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."
