NRL market watch: Dragons sign Ronald Volkman from Warriors, Dolphins poach Junior Tupou from Tigers
The Dragons have received a much needed boost to their halves depth, with a Warriors star joining the Red V immediately, while the Dolphins have landed a Tigers speedster for 2025.
NRL
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St George Illawarra have signed Warriors half Ronald Volkman in an immediate deal.
The two parties agreed to a contract on Friday with Volkman to link up with the Dragons for 2024.
It is understood the deal is just for 12 months. The Dragons needed some cover in the halves, with Talatau Amone set to have his NRL contract deregistered.
Volkman, 21, has played five games since making his debut from the Warriors last year.
Meanwhile the Wests Tigers have suffered a blow, with talented youngster Junior Tupou agreeing to join the Dolphins in 2025 on a three year deal. Tupou made his international debut for Tonga in 2023, playing against England in October.
DRAGONS IDENTIFY TWO NEW TARGETS AFTER AFB BLINDSIDE
—Paul Crawley
Shane Flanagan says St George Illawarra has already “moved on” from the disappointment of missing out on gun prop Addin Fonua-Blake, adamant “there will be other opportunities over the next 12 months”.
The Fonua-Blake blow came on the same day the Dragons missed out on Tom Dearden, who recommitted to the Cowboys on a five-year extension.
Flanagan said while missing out on Fonua-Blake was setback, the focus now was on the future.
“Of course we are disappointed but that’s the game we are in,” Flanagan said. “We have moved on already.
“There will be other options over the next 12 months ... our focus now is getting ready for season ‘24.
“The team has trained at an elite level for eight weeks and we break for Christmas knowing we have achieved our physical performance goals.”
The Dragons are also chasing a backrower, with Cowboys pair Heilum Luki and teenage tearaway Kulikefu Finefeuiaki identified as two potential targets.
While the Dragons were thought to be the favourites to land Fonua-Blake for the 2025 season, the Warriors prop made the shock call this week to take up a four-year deal at Cronulla worth around $1m-a-season.
The fact the Sharks are considered in a better position to seriously challenge for the premiership was said to be a significant factor in Fonua-Blake’s decision.
Yet it is also just another indication of the challenge facing Flanagan when it comes to trying to attract big name recruits to a club that has not played finals football since 2018.
Dearden was always considered a long shot to leave the Cowboys where he has now committed to until 2029.
The other concern for the Dragons would be what impact missing out on Fonua-Blake and Dearden potentially has on Ben Hunt’s future.
Despite initially chasing an immediate release, Hunt has now agreed to at least see out 2024.
But Flanagan said in recent days that he was confident the Dragons skipper has bought into the changes at the club and that Hunt would be there for 2025 as well.
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