NRL 2023 transfer news: Dragons re-sign Blake Lawrie, Rabbitohs re-sign Siliva Havili, Tigers signs Brandon Wakeham
The Dragons and Rabbitohs have bolstered their packs, securing key forwards long-term. See the latest transfer news.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
St George Illawarra have re-signed front-rower Blake Lawrie for a further three years, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2026 season.
Lawrie was set to enter the final year of his current deal but took himself off the open market by staying on at the club he has played with since his debut in 2017.
The 26-year-old has made 105 appearances for the Dragons.
“We’re building something nice this year and there was no other choice in my mind but to stay at the Dragons,” Lawrie said.
“I grew up in the area, this means a lot to me so it’s very exciting news and there’s exciting times ahead.”
The Dragons have a number of players also coming off contract at the end of this year, including Aaron Woods, Jacob Liddle, Josh Kerr, Moses Mbye, and Tyrell Fuimaono.
Meanwhile, South Sydney have also bolstered their forward stocks by re-signing the versatile Siliva Havili for another two seasons, locking him down until the end of the 2025.
Havili was one of the Rabbitohs’ best performers last year and was entering the final year of his current deal with the club.
“The family and I have really enjoyed the move to Sydney, especially to this club in South Sydney,” Havili said.
“The goal is to win a premiership and I truly believe we can do that here at the Rabbitohs in the next few years.”
The Rabbitohs have a number of forwards off-contract at the end of the year, including Tom Burgess, Jacob Host, Hame Sele, Liam Knight and Michael Chee Kam, as well as utility Blake Taaffe.
TIGERS LAND FIJIAN INTERNATIONAL STAR
—Phil Rothfield
The Wests Tigers have increased their halves depth for the upcoming NRL season by signing Canterbury utility Brandon Wakeham.
Wakeham signed a one-year deal with the Tigers on Monday as a back-up for first-choice halves Luke Brooks and Adam Doueihi.
Veteran coach Tim Sheens signed the 24-year-old after being impressed with his performances last year, after he started the season in first grade before leading the NSW Cup side to the grand final.
He’s an important signing for the Tigers, given they’ve lost Jackson Hastings to Newcastle and Jock Madden to Brisbane.
Wakeham’s signing comes as the Tigers continue to wait for the arrival of star recruit John Bateman at Concord.
Bateman, 29, was meant to join his new teammates at the start of this month after representing England at the Rugby League World Cup, but visa issues have delayed his arrival and put him in doubt of playing in the Tigers’ round-one clash against the Gold Coast on March 5.
The Tigers hadn’t planned on Bateman playing in their first trial match against the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on February 9, but are hopeful the international back-rower will be available for their second trial against Canberra 10 days later.
Bateman signed a four-year deal late last year to cap off an impressive recruitment drive for the 2022 wooden spooners.
TITANS CLOSE IN ON FIFITA AS RAIDERS DEAL COLLAPSES
—Travis Meyn, Brent Read
The Gold Coast Titans are hoping to re-sign David Fifita within weeks as a proposed package deal move to Canberra with NRLW star Shaylee Bent collapsed.
The Sunday Mail can reveal Fifita and Bent, who have been in a relationship, will be making individual decisions on their playing futures.
The Raiders were hoping to lure Fifita and Bent to Canberra in the fashion Newcastle signed NRL power couple Adam Elliott and Millie Boyle.
There is a chance both players could move to the Raiders – however their club choices won’t be contingent on each other.
Despite Canberra’s interest, the Titans are growing increasingly confident of securing Fifita to a multi-year extension before the 2023 NRL premiership kicks off in March.
Fifita, 22, is one of the NRL’s highest-paid free agents, with his $3 million-plus Titans deal expiring at the end of the upcoming season.
The Titans have been in negotiations with Fifita for months over an extension but face a fight with the likes of the Raiders and Dragons for the explosive ballrunner.
Fifita has toured Canberra’s headquarters, with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart willing to offer the former Queensland Origin forward up to $900,000-a-season to head to the nation’s capital.
Titans CEO Steve Mitchell said the club was hopeful of retaining Fifita.
“It’s hard to talk retention and recruitment but we’re hopeful for a positive outcome with David,” he said.
“David enjoys the environment here but we’re under no illusions in regard to how much other clubs might want David given his capability.
“I think he enjoys the club and has a good environment here. He enjoys the coaching staff and playing group.
“Dave’s been with us for a few years and we’d certainly like him to stay.
“He’s been good and is training well, he seems to be in a good place. The reports of his training have been strong and he’s put his head down and gone to work.”
Fifita has had a turbulent two years on the Gold Coast since quitting the Broncos in 2020 to sign one of the richest deals in NRL history.
He pocketed a whopping $1.2 million in 2021 and scored a club record 17 tries as he helped the Titans to a drought-breaking finals appearance.
However last season was a struggle for Fifita, who was hampered by a knee injury and questionable selection decisions by coach Justin Holbrook as the Titans crashed to the bottom four.
Fifita’s confidence took a hit as he was played out-of-position and off the bench, with injury limiting him to 18 matches and seven tries.
He lost his Maroons jersey but found some form at the back end of the year and represented Tonga at the World Cup.
Holbrook said the Titans’ coaching staff and playmakers – headlined by Manly recruit Kieran Foran – were working hard to formulate a game plan to maximise on Fifita’s destructive talent this year.
“To get the best out of him this year it’s got to be everybody,” Holbrook told SEN.
“It’s on us as coaches, Dave himself and the halves. It’s a combination of all three.
“We’re making sure we create him opportunities through him getting his own confidence up, getting a bit fitter than last year and the halves.
“We all love to see what he does in the game. You don’t have to be a Titans fan to love seeing those barnstorming runs and how hard he is to stop.
“In Dave’s defence, it’s hard to do that every single time. You can’t have everything but we definitely need him back playing at his best.
“I want him back playing rep footy. He’s such a strike weapon but we’ve got to make sure we get the best out of him.
“We are working hard at training on making sure we create him some opportunities.”
Fifita will play on the right edge next to halfback Tanah Boyd, who he has a strong combination with from their days together at Keebra Park High.
BRONCOS’ DELICATE BATTLE TO KEEP STAR
—Travis Meyn
Broncos bosses face a delicate salary cap juggling act to keep Tom Flegler at Red Hill as Kevin Walters bolstered his forward pack with Test veteran Marty Taupau.
Taupau will join the Broncos immediately after signing a one-year deal to extend his NRL career in Brisbane for the 2023 premiership.
Taupau, 33 next month, will beef-up Brisbane’s middle forwards rotation and inject 222 games of NRL experience into a mostly young engine room.
A 33 Test representative for New Zealand (24) and Samoa (nine), Taupau was not offered a contract extension by Manly after seven seasons at the Sea Eagles and was facing the NRL scrap heap.
However, Walters has given him an NRL lifeline at the eleventh-hour, with Taupau to begin training with the Broncos next week.
The signing of Taupau will further strengthen a promising forward pack including Kangaroos stars Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan.
The Broncos also have Corey Jensen, Keenan Palasia, Kobe Hetherington and Flegler vying for middle forward spots along with youngsters Xavier Willison and Logan Bayliss.
Flegler, 23, is off-contract at the end of this year and currently on the open market, having switched management companies to broker his next deal.
Taupau’s signing is not expected to impact Flegler’s future.
However with Carrigan seeking a contract upgrade following his breakout 2022 campaign and Brisbane’s current highest-paid player Haas off-contract at the end of 2024, the Broncos are facing a salary cap squeeze.
A judiciary magnet that’s struggled with on-field discipline, Flegler is yet to deliver consistently on his potential and pay packet and was last year limited to 18 games due to suspensions.
The Broncos have a high regard for Flegler and are working to re-sign him as he enters the prime of his career and embarks on a fifth NRL season.
The club believes Flegler wants to remain at Red Hill, despite the likelihood of him receiving rich offers to leave Brisbane.
But squeezing a number of highly-paid forwards into the salary cap will be a challenge and competition for spots will be high this year.
Jensen, 29, produced a promising first season at the Broncos last year after leaving North Queensland.
He made 18 NRL appearances and started 11 of those games, something he rarely did in five seasons at the Cowboys.
“Last year I got a chance to start and really enjoyed it. I hadn’t had that chance previously in my career,” Jensen said.
“(I’m happy to play) wherever Kevvie sees best fit for me in the team. Everyone wants to start but we’ve got a job to do regardless of whether we’re coming off the bench or starting.
“My focus has been on trying to get better each game. Wherever I’m playing, I’ll do that.”
Jensen is pushing to partner Haas in the starting front row for Brisbane’s NRL season-opener against Penrith, with next month’s trials to give Walters an idea of how his team is shaping up.
A Townsville product, Jensen said he had enjoyed the move south and wanted to take his game to another level this year.
“I felt coming down here was a new lease on life,” he said.
“It was a big move. I spent my whole life up there and am a family person, so to come down here out of my comfort zone was a big thing.
“It really sparked me and rejuvenated my career. It gave me another avenue to learn.
“There’s a lot of quality players here and that was the drawcard at the time. I knew I had better football in me. So far it’s worked out well.
“I’ve tried to enjoy my football. There’s a great bunch of footballers here that are young and willing to learn. They’re keeping me on my toes.
“I want to get better as they do. We’ll keep pushing each other hard.”
‘Bring back Mary’: Panthers reveal Cleary retention plan
Panthers boss Brian Fletcher has signalled the club’s intention to re-sign Nathan and Ivan Cleary beyond 2027 - while possibly luring Mary Fowler back to Australia as well.
‘Embarrassing’: Tiger’s bitter Benji swipe
A Wests Tigers outcast has given the club and coach Benji Marshall a brutal drive by after he was “hurt personally”.