St George Illawarra have entered the race for Penrith winger Sunia Turuva as the club prepares to grant Zac Lomax permission to negotiate with rival clubs for 2025 and beyond.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has also met with 24-year-old Wallabies star Jordan Petaia about a switch to rugby league, opening dialogue about a potential deal from next season with the off-contract Queensland Reds player.
It comes after this masthead’s report on Thursday that negotiations between Penrith and Turuva’s management have come to a halt in the past week over the Panthers’ reluctance to offer the 2023 rookie of the year a deal worth more than $350,000 per season.
Turuva’s preference is to remain at the Panthers beyond this season. The Dragons, however, are expected to complicate matters with an offer worth close to $100,000 more per season.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is a big admirer of Turuva and is targeting the Fijian international as a fullback-winger option.
Tyrell Sloan was given first crack at the No.1 jersey this year but the Dragons don’t have any depth in the fullback role.
Sunia Turuva celebrates one of his three tries against the Roosters on Thursday night.Credit: Getty
Turuva would challenge Sloan for the custodian role at the Dragons despite playing his entire NRL career on the wing.
The 21-year-old was a revelation for Penrith on the wing last year, but the Panthers have prioritised the retention of fellow outside backs Izack Tago and Taylan May in recent weeks. Back-up centre Paul Alamoti has also recently secured an extension.
Turuva’s agent Mark Stewart recently met with the club to inform Penrith he would now seek expressions of interest and offers from rival clubs before returning to the Panthers to see if they can get closer to what he believes is his value on the open market.
The Dragons are the first club to express interest and want to meet with Turuva to gauge his desire to leave the three-time reigning champions.
Sunia Turuva could be on the move.Credit: Steven Siewert
“I want to be part of this team,” he said after his hat-trick on Thursday night.
“It’s a special group we’ve got here. No matter who steps into the jersey. I just want to be part of this club. I’ve left it to my manager and Penrith to organise all that stuff. But I’ve said it before — Penrith’s home. This is where I want to be.”
While the salary cap is limiting Penrith’s spending capacity, they are also pondering Turuva’s value given the talent at their disposal coming through the lower grades.
Brothers Jesse (20) and Casey McLean (18) are considered future superstars of the club and are both locked in until the end of 2026.
Zac Lomax and Shane Flanagan.Credit: Getty
The Dragons are bracing for Lomax’s management to this week request permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
St George Illawarra previously rejected a request from Lomax’s management and the Parramatta Eels to open discussions for a deal that could result in an immediate release from the Dragons.
The Eels recently contacted the Dragons to enquire about Lomax’s contract status, with St George Illawarra saying the 24-year-old did not have their blessing to explore his options given he still has another two years to run on his deal.
They agreed to revisit the conversation after round four, with Lomax’s management set to request permission to open dialogue with rival clubs.
The Dragons will only contemplate an immediate release if they receive a player of equal calibre in a swap deal, but the Eels have shown little desire to cooperate.
The Red V are bracing for the reality of Lomax, who would prefer to play in the centres than on the wing, departing the club at season’s end.
The respective pursuits of Petaia and Turuva will add some spark to a back line that has struggled over the past couple of years.
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