Jason Saab to Sea Eagles, Reuben Garrick to Dragons in NRL player swap
Rising star Jason Saab is poised to have his wish to join a rival NRL club granted, with a gun winger to replace him at St George Illawarra.
NRL
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Rising winger Jason Saab is on the verge of inking a deal with the Manly Sea Eagles that will see Reuben Garrick head back to St George Illawarra.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Sea Eagles have made Saab a verbal offer for the next three seasons.
Under the deal, Garrick, a Gerrigong Lions junior, would depart Manly at the end of the season to link up with Dragons in a player swap with Saab.
Garrick is contracted at Manly until the end of season 2021.
Saab is also under contract — his deal with the Red V expires at the end of season 2022 — but has been seeking a release all season to be in Sydney.
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The 19-year-old has struggled with the travel commitments from western Sydney to the Dragons training base in Wollongong. Saab has been unable to move closer to Wollongong for family reasons.
In late August, Dragons CEO Ryan Webb said the club would only release Saab on compassionate grounds if a suitable player or transfer fee could be guaranteed from his new club.
“It’s worth noting that contrary to media reports Jason Saab has not been granted a release at the end of the season,” CEO Ryan Webb wrote to members.
“Although we will consider allowing him to depart on compassionate grounds if we were to receive a commensurate compensation in the form of a player and/or cash consideration.”
The rangy winger made his NRL debut in 2019 and played three games scoring three tries. Saab, who played for NSW both at under 18’s and 20’s level, was part of Brad Fittler’s Emerging Blues camp in December last year.
Despite his representative pedigree, Saab has struggled to crack a starting spot with the Dragons in 2020 having only played four games so far this season.
Garrick made his way through the junior ranks at the Dragons before making the switch to Manly on a one-year deal at the end of 2018.
After impressing during his rookie season in 2019, Garrick extended his stay at the northern beaches club until the end of season 2021.
Originally published as Jason Saab to Sea Eagles, Reuben Garrick to Dragons in NRL player swap