The South Sydney Rabbitohs have reportedly refused to waive the 10-day cooling-off period after Keaon Koloamatangi agreed to join the Dragons on a $5 million mega-deal. It’ll leave Dragons fans sweating for 10 days and praying the Kangaroos and State of Origin star doesn’t have a change of heart.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday that Koloamatangi has agreed to join St George Illawarra from 2027 on a five-year deal worth close to $5 million. It would mark one of the biggest signings in Shane Flanagan’s tenure as Dragons coach.
Koloamatangi has played 126 NRL games since debuting for Souths in 2020. He made his Test debut for Australia in this year’s Ashes series, after previously playing 10 games for Tonga. The forward played one State of Origin game for NSW in 2023, but was on the cusp of selection in 2025 and will be hard to ignore in 2026.
Dragons fans are in raptures over the signing, but will be slightly nervous over South Sydney’s response. On Saturday, leading journalist Michael Carayannis reported the Rabbitohs have refused to waive the 10-day cooling-off period.
Under NRL rules, teams have 10 days to respond after a player signs with a different club. During that time the player is within their rights to backflip and pull out of the deal.
Carayannis reported on Saturday that Dragons officials were hoping to announce the signing immediately, and had asked Souths to waive the cooling-off period. However the Rabbitohs have reportedly refused.
According to the reports, Wayne Bennett’s side won’t try to convince Koloamatangi to renege in his Dragons deal during the 10 days. But the refusal to grant the Dragons’ request opens up the possibility the South Sydney junior could have a change of heart off his own bat.
Souths were reportedly desperate to keep Koloamatangi, but couldn’t match the Dragons’ offer of nearly $1 million per season. The Parramatta Eels also made a play for the gun forward, and had the cash to spend after Zac Lomax’s exit.
The Dragons reportedly spent $3000 on a private helicopter to fly Koloamatangi down to Wollongong to tour the club’s facilities. If the deal is ratified, Koloamatangi would beef up a promising Dragons forward pack full of young talent.
The Red V have the likes of Hamish Stewart, Toby Couchman, Dylan Egan and Jacob Halangahu – raw young guns with long careers ahead of them. But Koloamatangi would be the experienced rep star they’re missing in the pack.
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