{"id":5892,"date":"2024-12-28T09:03:26","date_gmt":"2024-12-28T09:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/?p=5892"},"modified":"2024-12-28T09:03:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-28T09:03:26","slug":"2024-nrl-signings-tracker-dragons-sign-rugby-7s-star-extend-flanagan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/?p=5892","title":{"rendered":"2024 NRL Signings Tracker: Dragons sign Rugby 7s star, extend Flanagan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5893\" src=\"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg 225w, https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>Australian Olympic sevens star Nathan Lawson has switched codes to join the Dragons for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>The 25-year-old has appeared in 25 tournaments for the Australian Sevens team, including the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, scoring 69 tries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNathan is a terrific athlete,&#8221; said Dragons Head Coach Shane Flanagan<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is coming to us at the end of an outstanding season, which he finished off with the Australian Rugby Sevens player of the year award and a spot in the World Rugby Sevens team of the year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He\u2019s a big, fast, powerful winger with good instincts. He\u2019ll adjust to rugby league in no time and, once he does, he\u2019ll be a real asset to us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lawson&#8217;s signing comes after the Dragons took another step to solidify their future halves pairings by re-signing\u00a0<b>Kyle Flanagan<\/b>\u00a0for a further two years.<\/p>\n<p>The playmaker will remain with the club through to the end of 2027 in a move that comes on the back of Wednesday&#8217;s announcement Sharks utility\u00a0<b>Daniel Atkinson<\/b>\u00a0will join the club in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Flanagan impressed in his first season at the Dragons, playing in 20 games to take his career total to 99 NRL appearances. He looks set to partner with off-season recruit Lachlan Ilias in the halves throughout 2025 following Ben Hunt&#8217;s off-season departure.<\/p>\n<p>Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is excited by prospect of competition for starting halves positions in the coming years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKyle was an integral part of our team this year and will continue to be an important player for us moving forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe plays his 100th NRL game at the start of next season and his experience and versatility will continue to be an asset for us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith Daniel Atkinson joining the club from 2026 that competition for spots across the key spine positions will strengthen the whole squad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The announcement comes a day after Atkinson&#8217;s three-year deal with the Dragons was confirmed.<\/p>\n<p>The 23-year-old will play out the final year of his contract with the Sharks before joining St George Illawarra in 2026 on a deal that will see him remain with the club until the end of 2028.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-2\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"2\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-2\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-2\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-2\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"22705\">\n<div id=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-2\" class=\"fuse-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CNqF0PWIyooDFVyeUAYdbfouSw\">\n<p>Atkinson impressed in 2024 when filling in for Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes across 19 games for Cronulla and is set to take on greater playmaking responsibilities at the Dragons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re really happy to be welcoming Daniel to the club in 2026,\u201d said Shane Flanagan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe&#8217;s a classy player who has shown an ability to cover multiple positions as well as a strong competitor who will come in and improve our squad as a whole.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Rabbitohs, meanwhile, have signed playmaker\u00a0<b>Jayden Sullivan<\/b>\u00a0for the 2025 season after he was released by Wests Tigers.<\/p>\n<p>The 23-year-old made his NRL debut for the Dragons in 2020 and played 27 matches across four seasons before joining Wests Tigers in 2024 and racking up nine appearances.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJayden is a great talent and we think he can play his best football here at the Rabbitohs under the guidance of Wayne Bennett,&#8221; said Rabbitohs head of<br \/>\nrecruitment and retention Mark Ellison.<\/p>\n<p>Another playmaker putting pen to paper in the lead-up to Christmas was\u00a0<b>Jonah Pezet<\/b>, who has signed a four-year extension with the Storm through to the end of 2029.<\/p>\n<p>The 2024 season saw Pezet feature at five-eighth for the opening three NRL matches before his campaign was cut short in April after suffering an ACL injury in Queensland Cup.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s a special feeling to continue my career at the Storm. The club has put a lot of faith in me from a young age and hopefully I can repay that over the next few years,\u201d Pezet said.<\/p>\n<p>England international\u00a0<b>John Bateman<\/b>\u00a0is set to play a mentoring role for the North Queensland pack after signing a two-year deal with the Cowboys.<\/p>\n<p>The forward will join the club immediately after being granted a release from the final two years of his contract with the Wests Tigers.<\/p>\n<p>Bateman has signed with the Cowboys for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, joining a pack featuring Reuben Cotter, Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame, and North Queensland officials are looking for him to mentor his younger teammates on and off the field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been in the market for an experienced forward with the ability to play either in the middle or on an edge,\u201d Cowboys General Manager of Football Micheal Luck said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div class=\"fuse-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CNuF0PWIyooDFVyeUAYdbfouSw\">\n<p>\u201cJohn bases his game around defensive intent and willingness to compete in every situation \u2013 a couple of areas we\u2019ve made no secret we want to improve significantly on in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlong with what he does on the field, we also believe he will be a valuable mentor for our younger forwards in Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Inspirational Sharks captain\u00a0<b>Cameron McInnes<\/b>\u00a0will continue to spearhead the club&#8217;s pursuit of premierships after extending his contract until the end of 2026.<\/p>\n<p>McInnes&#8217; new one-year deal comes after a season in which he guided Cronulla to a preliminary final and earned a long-awaited State of Origin debut for NSW.<\/p>\n<p>The 30-year-old lock, renowned for his toughness and intensity, has played 204 NRL matches over the course of a decade. He joined the Sharks ahead of the 2022 season alongside coach Craig Fitzgibbon.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a really exciting and proud moment to re-sign,&#8221; McInnes said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was lucky enough to sign here for four years in 2021 and to be able to extend here is all I wanted to do. I&#8217;m really glad the club are happy to have me.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The club&#8217;s in such a secure place. It&#8217;s a high-performing environment and that&#8217;s what I want to be a part of.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve got no doubt under Fitzy, the coaches and the systems in place here \u2013 I can&#8217;t see anything other than striving for the best each year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m going into my 11th year in the NRL, but I still have so many goals. I&#8217;m still trying to get better and get to the potential that I feel I have.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Sharks have also extended the contract of secondrower\u00a0<b>Teig Wilton<\/b>\u00a0on a new two-year deal until the end of 2027.<\/p>\n<p>The 25-year-old, who was already under contract for the upcoming season, has played 85 NRL matches since debuting for Cronulla in Round 11 of 2020.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It was an easy decision for me. I knew if the club wanted to have me I was definitely going to stay,&#8221; Wilton said after inking his extension.<\/p>\n<p>Prop\u00a0<b>Tuku Hau Tapuha<\/b>\u00a0is another player to stay with the Sharks, signing on until at least the end of 2026 in a one-year extension.<\/p>\n<p>The Storm has extended the contract of forward\u00a0<b>Trent Loiero<\/b>\u00a0until the end of the 2028 season.<\/p>\n<p>The Kawana Dolphins junior played for the Sunshine Coast Falcons and was part of Storm\u2019s Sunshine Coast Academy before making his NRL debut in Round 4 of the 2021 season and has since played 75 games for the club.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have loved my time at the Storm and I\u2019m excited to re-sign for a few more years,\u201d\u00a0Loiero said.<\/p>\n<p>The Dolphins have extended the contract of Fijian international\u00a0<b>Kurt Donoghoe<\/b>\u00a0with a one-year contract extension that will see him remain with the club until at least the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>This comes after extending the time of forward\u00a0<b>Connelly Lemuelu<\/b>, who is now signed to the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Lemuelu, who joined the Dolphins for their inaugural NRL campaign, has been a regular fixture for the club with 41 games over two seasons.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I look forward to watching him continue to develop into the high-level backrower we know he can become,&#8221;\u00a0Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.<\/p>\n<p>The Raiders have confirmed the re-signing of\u00a0<b>Xavier Savage<\/b>, who will remain with the club until the end of the 2027 season.<\/p>\n<p>The two-year extension will see Savage remain in Canberra for the next three seasons, as he looks to build on his impressive start to his NRL career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very happy with how I went last year but I\u2019ve definitely got a lot more left in the tank. Now it\u2019s time to keep training hard and turn it up again next year. It\u2019s exciting,&#8221;\u00a0Savage said.<\/p>\n<p>In Melbourne, Storm fullback\u00a0<b>Ryan Papenhuyzen<\/b>\u00a0has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him in Melbourne until the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>One of the competition\u2019s fan favourites, the deal will see the 2020 Clive Churchill Medallist and premiership player remain in Melbourne for the next two seasons, much to the delight of the purple faithful.<\/p>\n<p>Papenhuyzen first joined Melbourne in 2017 and since cementing his place in the number one jersey at the back end of the 2019 season, the Dundas Shamrocks junior has developed into one of the premier fullbacks in the NRL.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like we\u2019re building something special here and I have a real drive to see that through,\u201d Papenhuyzen said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had the core group of our squad together for a while and played a lot of footy alongside each other. To stay in Melbourne and hopefully enjoy success together is something that motivates me.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-5\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"5\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-5\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-5\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-5\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"22821\">\n<div id=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-5\" class=\"fuse-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CN2F0PWIyooDFVyeUAYdbfouSw\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m excited for the season ahead and can\u2019t wait to be back out on the field in front of a packed house at AAMI Park come Round 1. \u201d<\/p>\n<p>NSW Origin hooker\u00a0<b>Reece Robson<\/b>\u00a0will join Sydney Roosters on a four-year contract from 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Robson informed the Cowboys he would depart the club following the 2025 season to take up an opportunity with another NRL club.<\/p>\n<p>The Roosters later confirmed he had signed a four-year deal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to have secured Reece\u2019s signature and look forward to welcoming him to the Roosters in 2026,\u201d said Roosters head of recruitment, Daniel Anderson.<\/p>\n<p>A North Queensland statement said Robson would remain an integral part of the Cowboys squad for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe tabled our best possible offer but unfortunately were not able to compete with the final offer Reece received,\u201d Cowboys GM of football Micheal Luck said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReece now has a young family and we respect his decision.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Robson was a member of the Blues team that won this year&#8217;s State of Origin series and was selected in the Australian squad for the Pacific Championships, but is yet to make his Test debut.<\/p>\n<p>The 26-year-old, who made his NRL debut for St George Illawarra in 2018, has played 110 of his 119 NRL matches for the Cowboys after moving to North Queensland in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Roosters captain\u00a0<b>James Tedesco<\/b>\u00a0has signed a one-year contract extension, ensuring his continued leadership and presence at the club until the end of 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Roosters have been my home for the past seven years, and I\u2019m excited to continue playing for this incredible club,\u201d Tedesco said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m proud to represent the Roosters and there\u2019s a strong bond among the group we have here, so I\u2019m looking forward to what we can achieve together in 2025 and beyond.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>One of the game\u2019s most decorated players, Tedesco has been an integral part of the Roosters since joining the Tricolours in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Since first donning the Roosters jersey, Tedesco has achieved a number of milestones, including winning back-to-back NRL Premierships in 2018 and 2019, claiming the Dally M Medal in 2019, and leading his state and country<\/p>\n<p>He capped off a stellar 2024 season by being named the Dally M Fullback of the Year for the fourth time, and became a record six-time winner of the Club\u2019s most coveted award, the Jack Gibson Medal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJames is not only a phenomenal player but also a leader who sets the standard for professionalism and performance, and I\u2019m really pleased that his experience will continue to benefit the team around him,&#8221; Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.<\/p>\n<p>Tedesco has played 251 first-grade games, 161 of those with the Roosters. In 2024, Tedesco featured in 25 of the Roosters\u2019 games, scoring 17 tries while setting up 24 more, and amassing 4,972 run metres.<\/p>\n<p>On the back of his impressive return to the NRL in 2024,\u00a0<b>Bronson Xerri<\/b>\u00a0has inked a new deal with the Bulldogs through to the end of the 2027 season.<\/p>\n<p>The dynamic left centre played scoring 10 tries in 19 matches and averaged 145 metres per game as the Bulldogs surged into the finals in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ever since Bronson stepped foot into our club\u2019s doors, he has shown great maturity and commitment to the Bulldog jersey,&#8221; said general manager of football Phil Gould.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At 24 he still has plenty of rugby league ahead of him, and we believe he has a bright future ahead of him in our colours.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Talented young fullback<b>\u00a0Liam Ison<\/b>\u00a0has committed to the Sharks until the end of 2027 after making his NRL debut and claiming NSW Cup glory in a meteoric rise this year.<\/p>\n<p>Ison, who turns 20 this month, has put pen to paper on a two-year extension on top of his existing contract for 2025.<\/p>\n<p>At Parramatta, back-rower\u00a0<b>Kelma Tuilagi<\/b>\u00a0has signed a one-year contract extension through to the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Tuilagi played 16 games for the Eels in 2024 after joining the club from Manly.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile the Brisbane Broncos have won the race to sign Kangaroos playmaker\u00a0<b>Ben Hunt<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>The 34-year-old will return to Brisbane on a two-year deal in a major boost for new coach Michael Maguire.<\/p>\n<p>Hunt started his career at the Broncos, playing 187 games in nine seasons\u00a0for the club before he joined the Dragons in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>The veteran was granted an immediate release from his St George Illawarra contract in October\u00a0and was courted by multiple clubs before ultimately settling on a return home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to be bringing Ben and his family home, where he belongs,&#8221;\u00a0Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlayers of his calibre don\u2019t stay available for long, and it was important to us for Ben to know he was very much wanted here, but we also understand that this was a big decision for Ben and his family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For Hunt &#8211; who was involved with the Broncos since the age of 13 &#8211; the chance to come home to Queensland was a factor in his decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is very special. It was a tough decision for myself and my family, but my heart was really always driving me back to the Broncos, and in the end, it became really clear,&#8221; Hunt said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo be able to finish my career at the Broncos is something that I never thought I\u2019d have the opportunity to do and I\u2019ll cherish it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had a fair few calls from people back home (Central Queensland), but needed to make the best decision for myself, my wife and my family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>At the Dragons, World Cup halfback\u00a0<b>Lachlan Ilias<\/b>\u00a0has joined the club on a two-year contract after being released by South Sydney.<\/p>\n<p>The Dragons announced the signing of Ilias after the Rabbitohs agreed to a request from the 24-year-old and his management for an early release.<\/p>\n<p>The Greek international will take over the halfback duties for the Red V following the departure of captain Ben Hunt.<\/p>\n<p>Ilias broke his leg in April while attempting a kick and missed the rest of the NRL season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic to have Lachlan join us at the Dragons,\u201d St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is coming into the best years of his career. His skill set complements our current squad and he joins the exciting group of players we have recruited ahead of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is progressing well through his rehab, and he will be ready to go for the trials. Lachlan joins a squad that is working hard and are committed to an improved 2025. We can\u2019t wait for him to rip in with us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ilias played 53 NRL games for South Sydney and has also played three Test matches for Greece at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England.<\/p>\n<p>At the Warriors, rookie forward\u00a0<b>Demitric Vaimauga<\/b>\u00a0has put pen to paper on a new deal through to the end of 2028.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-8\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"8\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-8\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-8\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-8\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"22931\">\n<div id=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-8\" class=\"fuse-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"COCF0PWIyooDFVyeUAYdbfouSw\">\n<p>Then known by the surname of Sifakula, Vaimauga made his NRL debut as a 19-year-old against the Roosters in 2023 and has added six more matches at the top level since then.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDemitric brings so much energy and aggression to his game on both sides of the ball. We love what he provides on the field and also off it,\u201d said Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGoing back to our first trial against Wests Tigers in 2023, he immediately showed he belonged at NRL level and everything he has done since has reinforced that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInjury impacted on his time on the field in the last two seasons but he has come back so well through a professional attitude. He\u2019s our future, a great example of a locally produced and developed player.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wests Tigers forward\u00a0<b>Fonua Pole<\/b>\u00a0has put pen to paper on a two-year extension through to the end of the 2027 season.<\/p>\n<p>The 22-year-old has played 56 games for Wests Tigers, making his NRL debut against the Warriors in Round 16, 2022.\u00a0 In his three seasons in first grade, he has missed just two games.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow is such an exciting time for us as a club. I just want to keep working hard and continue to improve as a player,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Former Bulldog\u00a0<b>Josh Addo-Carr<\/b>\u00a0has signed a two-year deal with the Parramatta Eels.<\/p>\n<p>New head coach Jason Ryles &#8211; who worked with &#8216;The Foxx&#8217; at the Melbourne Storm &#8211; is looking forward to adding Addo-Carr&#8217;s experience to the squad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had the privilege of working with Josh before, and I know first-hand just how much he brings to a team \u2014 his speed is electric, and his ability to break open games is second to none,&#8221;\u00a0Ryles said.<\/p>\n<p>The agreement includes an option in the club\u2019s favour for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>The Eels have also re-signed\u00a0<b>Brendan Hands\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0<b>Sean Russell<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>Dummy half Hands has extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2026 season, while winger Russell has also extended his contract until the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Powerhouse Samoa prop\u00a0<b>Terrell May<\/b>\u00a0has\u00a0signed a three-year deal with Wests Tigers\u00a0after he was released by the Roosters.<\/p>\n<p>The Roosters confirmed in a statement\u00a0that May had been granted a release to pursue an opportunity at another club and it was Benji Marshall&#8217;s Tigers who secured his signature.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-9\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"9\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-9\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-9\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-9\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"22970\">\n<div id=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-9\" class=\"fuse-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJm8-uOKyooDFUOeUAYdc_QITw\">\n<p>After making his debut in 2022, the 25-year-old had chalked up 57 games for the Roosters, including playing every game in the 2024 season as Trent Robinson&#8217;s men progressed to the preliminary final.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTerrell is a good person first and foremost, and it\u2019s great that he will be joining us,\u201d said Marshall.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He\u2019s coming off an impressive season, and at 25, his best years are ahead of him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Storm, meanwhile, have announced that\u00a0<b>Moses Leo<\/b>\u00a0will arrive at AAMI Park a year early after New Zealand Rugby granted him an early release from his Sevens contract.<\/p>\n<p>Melbourne initially signed Leo to a two-year deal starting in 2026, however the All Blacks Sevens\u2019 representative will now join his new teammates at training in late November.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are looking forward to seeing Moses join his teammates for pre-season this year and appreciate the cooperation from New Zealand Rugby in supporting Moses with his request for an early release,\u201d Storm director of football Frank Ponissi said.<\/p>\n<p>Leo debuted with the All Blacks Sevens in 2022 and represented New Zealand at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.<\/p>\n<p>Cowboys prop\u00a0<b>Jordan McLean<\/b>\u00a0will line up for an eighth season at the club after signing a one-year extension for 2025.<\/p>\n<p>The 33-year-old has been the linchpin of the Cowboys pack since arriving in Townsville in 2018, racking up 137 games for North Queensland to go with the 86 games he played for the Storm.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s great news for our club to secure Jordan McLean for another year,\u201d said Cowboys general manager of football Micheal Luck said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis leadership quality was a really positive influence on our new captains in Reuben and Tom as well as the rest of the playing group.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Blockbusting winger\u00a0<b>Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega<\/b>\u00a0has inked a new deal with the Sea Eagles for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>The 24-year has played 12 games for Manly after making his NRL debut for the Sea Eagles against Canberra in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRay has worked very hard on improving his game and has earnt this new one-year deal,\u2019\u2019 said Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is a very good team first man who provides plenty of added depth to our outside backs.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-10\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"10\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-10\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-10\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-10\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"23008\">\n<p>The Sea Eagles also welcome\u00a0<b>Michael Chee Kam<\/b>\u00a0back to the northern beaches in 2025 after he started his career ar Manly a decade ago.<\/p>\n<p>Chee Kam made his NRL debut for the Sea Eagles in 2014, playing five games over two seasons for the club. He later joined Wests Tigers in 2016 and South Sydney in 2022. He played 16 NRL games for the Rabbitohs last season.<\/p>\n<p>Twin brothers\u00a0<b>Toby and Ryan Couchman<\/b>\u00a0have committed to the Dragons until the end of the 2027 season after both signed contract extensions.<\/p>\n<p>Having spent their junior days at the Thirroul Butchers, the twins progressed through the club&#8217;s pathways system with Ryan representing Australian Schoolboys in 2021 whilst at Bulli High and Toby representing the Blues in Under 19s Origin the following year.<\/p>\n<p>Toby made his NRL debut in the opening round of the 2023 season against the Titans and has gone on to play 26 games for the Red V.<\/p>\n<p>Ryan got his NRL call-up against Parramatta in Round 23 of 2023 and now has 11 games under his belt.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was definitely important for the club to extend both of the boys,\u201d Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey&#8217;re really good footballers, but also really good people who put in the work. They&#8217;re local products and they care about the club deeply, so it&#8217;s exciting to know they&#8217;re going to be here for a while.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Bulldogs have boosted their depth for next season after announcing the signing of versatile outside back\u00a0<b>Enari Tuala<\/b>\u00a0on a two-year-deal.<\/p>\n<p>The 26-year-old joins the club following five seasons at the Newcastle Knights after beginning his career at the North Queensland Cowboys.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEnari has shown his capabilities as a reliable player and his addition will no doubt complement our squad,\u201d\u00a0General Manager of Football Phil Gould AM said.<\/p>\n<p>At the Sharks, classy back-rower<b>\u00a0Briton Nikora<\/b>\u00a0has extended his deal through to the end of 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Already locked in for 2025, Nikora has added two more years to his deal.<\/p>\n<p>In other off-season signings news:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Knights have extended the contract of youngster\u00a0<b>Dylan Lucas<\/b>\u00a0until at least the end of 2027.<\/li>\n<li>The Knights have also signed forward\u00a0<b>Brodie Jones<\/b>\u00a0to a one-year extension.<\/li>\n<li>Warriors fullback<b>\u00a0Taine Tuaupiki<\/b>\u00a0has signed a one-year contract extension through to the end of 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Storm captain\u00a0<b>Harry Grant<\/b>\u00a0has taken up his player option to stay in Melbourne until the end of the 2026 NRL season.<\/li>\n<li>The Eels have announced that Fijian star\u00a0<b>Maika Sivo<\/b>\u00a0has been granted a release from his contract for the 2025 season to pursue opportunities that will allow him to further his career elsewhere.<\/li>\n<li>Wests Tigers have announced contract extensions for\u00a0<b>Reuben Porter<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<b>Solomona Faataape<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li>The Sharks have signed\u00a0<b>Mawene Hiroti<\/b>,\u00a0<b>Niwhai Puru<\/b>,\u00a0<b>Billy Burns<\/b>,\u00a0<b>Jayden Berrell<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<b>Chris Vea\u00edla<\/b>\u00a0to one-year contract extensions through to the end of 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Fijian international\u00a0<b>Marcelo Montoya<\/b>\u00a0will return to Belmore after signing a two-year deal with the Bulldogs.<\/li>\n<li>Warriors team-mate\u00a0<b>Jazz Tevaga<\/b>\u00a0is set to bring plenty of experience and added toughness to the Manly pack after signing a one-year deal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vue-ad quenched\">\n<div id=\"publift-ad-11\" class=\"o-ad u-print-display-none u-spacing-mv-24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-fuse=\"21670576941\" data-targeting-age=\"unknown\" data-targeting-birthyear=\"unknown\" data-targeting-gen=\"unknown\" data-targeting-pageid=\"1611024\" data-targeting-pagetype=\"article\" data-targeting-path=\"78756360\/nrl.web\/article\" data-targeting-pos=\"11\" data-targeting-teams=\"Brisbane Broncos (NRL),Canberra Raiders (NRL),Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL),Gold Coast Titans (NRL),Dolphins (NRL),Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (NRL),Melbourne Storm (NRL),Newcastle Knights (NRL),Parramatta Eels (NRL),Penrith Panthers (NRL),North Queensland Cowboys (NRL),Sydney Roosters (NRL),South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL),Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRL),Warriors (NRL),Wests Tigers (NRL),St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL)\" data-targeting-competition=\"Telstra Premiership\" data-targeting-sponsor=\"Hisense\" data-targeting-topic=\"Signings,NRL News\" data-fuse-code=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-11\" data-fuse-zone-instance=\"zone-instance-21670576941-11\" data-fuse-slot=\"fuse-slot-21670576941-11\" data-fuse-processed-at=\"23080\">\n<ul>\n<li>The Titans have announced that experienced prop\u00a0<b>Reagan Campbell-Gillard<\/b>\u00a0will join the club in 2025 on a three-year deal.<\/li>\n<li>One of the young guns lining up alongside RCG in 2025 will be\u00a0<b>Klese Haas<\/b>, who has signed a new deal to remain with the Titans until 2027.<\/li>\n<li>Campbell-Gillard&#8217;s former club Parramatta have announced the signing of\u00a0<b>Jack Williams<\/b>\u00a0on a three-year deal, starting from next season.<\/li>\n<li>Hard-working forward\u00a0<b>Josh Curran<\/b>\u00a0has been rewarded for a stellar season at the Bulldogs, with the club extending his contract to the end of 2026.<\/li>\n<li>The Dolphins have struck a double blow in the recruitment race with former Blues Origin rep\u00a0<b>Daniel Saifiti<\/b>\u00a0and promising outside back\u00a0<b>Max Feagai<\/b>\u00a0joining Kristian Woolf&#8217;s squad in 2025.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Knights have re-signed hard-working forward\u00a0<b>Mat Croker<\/b>\u00a0through to the end of the 2025 season, which will be his fifth season in the top grade at Newcastle.<\/li>\n<li>The Rabbitohs have extended the contract of outside back\u00a0<b>Isaiah Tass<\/b>\u00a0through to the end of the 2027 season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Australian Olympic sevens star Nathan Lawson has switched codes to join the Dragons for the 2025 season. The 25-year-old has appeared in 25 tournaments for the Australian Sevens team, including the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, scoring 69 tries. \u201cNathan is a terrific athlete,&#8221; said Dragons Head Coach Shane Flanagan \u201cHe is coming to us at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,158],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-rugby"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"large":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-360x180":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-225x180.jpg",225,180,true],"jnews-750x375":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-1140x570":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-120x86":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-120x86.jpg",120,86,true],"jnews-350x250":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-750x536":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-1140x815":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-360x504":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-75x75":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10-75x75.jpg",75,75,true],"jnews-350x350":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-featured-750":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false],"jnews-featured-1140":["https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg",225,225,false]},"author_info":{"display_name":"Newssoccer","author_link":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/?cat=1\" rel=\"category\">Blog<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/?cat=158\" rel=\"category\">Rugby<\/a>","tag_info":"Rugby","comment_count":"0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-10.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5892"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5894,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5892\/revisions\/5894"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssoccer.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}