St George Illawarra Dragons centre Euan Aitken signs with the New Zealand Warriors
Incoming Warriors coach Nathan Brown has made an immediate impact across the ditch, signing in-form St George Illawarra centre Euan Aitken. And, in a warning for rival clubs, he’s just getting started.
Dragons
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dragons. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Matthew Lodge and Jack de Belin have both been discussed as the Warriors’ next target after New Zealand pounced to land St George Illawarra’s Euan Aitken.
Beginning his club-wide rebuild by snaring the Dragons centre on a three-year deal, incoming Warriors coach Nathan Brown will now turn his attention to signing a star middle forward.
Having already been linked to De Belin in a reported $750,000-a-season play, the Warriors are also understood to be interested in Lodge should the Broncos prop be able to negotiate a release from the final year of his Brisbane deal.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
With Adam Blair yet to take up a one-year option and Blake Green quitting his contract to join Newcastle last week, the cashed-up Warriors could end up signing both Lodge and De Belin in what would be a pack-transforming double play.
The spending spree began on Wednesday when Aitken told his St George Illawarra teammates that he had agree to join the Warriors next year.
Having his best season since 2018 when he was almost selected to play State of Origin for NSW, Aitken had been holding out in the hope that he would be able to remain in Wollongong.
In a move that may come as a surprise given he has been among their best this season, the Dragons failed to offer Aitken a new deal.
While privately claiming they could not compete with the money on offer from the Warriors, the Dragons did not even attempt to negotiate a figure to keep the blockbusting centre.
The Dragons will not hit the market for a replacement with Brayden Wiliame expected to get first shot at playing alongside Lomax in the centres next year.
Aitken’s signing is the first deal to be done under new coach Brown, who was announced as Stephen Kearney’s replacement over the weekend.
Aitken could be joined by suspended Dragons teammate De Belin, who has been strongly linked to the club.
Suspended indefinitely by the NRL after being charged with sexual assault, De Belin has attracted strong interest from several clubs, including the Warriors, despite not having played a game this year.
Brown publicly declared his interest in De Belin just a day after being appointed as Warriors coach.
MORE WARRIORS NEWS
Nathan Brown, Gus Gould set to join New Zealand Warriors
Phil Gould backflip clears path for New Zealand Warriors job
New coach Nathan Brown identifies Warriors’ transfer targets
“He’s a player the club had identified,” Brown said
“They’d identified Jack de Belin as a player that would be great for the club.
“With all the stuff that’s gone on, I’m not up to speed with that yet - all this happened pretty quickly.
“I don’t think Jack’s real keen on doing anything at the minute, because he’s still in court and wants to get that resolved.
“But that type of player - Kevin Campion - has always had a great influence.”
Set to resume his coaching career after being sacked by the Knights last year, Brown may opt to run a broom through the club with almost a third of his top-grade squad coming off-contract this year.