Francis Molo granted leave, Dragons career appears over after refusing to train

St George Illawarra prop Francis Molo has been granted leave from the club, with the former Maroons Origin enforcer almost certainly played his last game for the Red V.

Francis Molo wants out of the Dragons despite inking a contract extension in April. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

St George Illawarra prop Francis Molo has been granted leave from the club and has almost certainly played his last game for the Red V.

Molo has been absent from Dragons pre-season training after refusing to attend sessions with the ex-Maroon forward indicating he wants an immediate release from the club.

It is understood the 30-year-old has told those close to him that he has played his final game for the club.

This has occurred despite Molo inking a new two-year contract extension with the Dragons just last April.

The Dragons are considering breaching Molo for failing to attend the sessions. At this stage they are unlikely to grant Molo a release with meetings between the parties planned for next week.

There is no indication Molo has fallen out with coach Shane Flanagan.

Molo’s exit would leave the Dragons’ front row stocks in dire straits after attempts to sign ex-Manly prop Matt Lodge to a train and trial contract appear to have fallen over.

It is a position the Dragons could ill-afford to lose anyone with their middle rotation already an area the club wants to strengthen even if Molo remains.

“We’ve spoken to Matt, that’s all...we’ll just move on,” Flanagan told Sky Sports Radio on the weekend. “I am looking for another middle, we’ve got one spot left in our top 30 and he was suggested as one.”

Molo’s brother Michael remains contracted to the club.

The Dragons have some promising young middle forwards coming through like Loko Junior Pasifika Tonga Flanagan but highlighted the pitfalls of throwing teenagers like him in the deep end of the NRL too soon and why the club is desperate to add experience to its prop rotation.

“You’ve got to be careful ... when you put them out on the football field,” Flanagan said of his young forward stocks. “They don’t have a tag on their head saying ‘I’m only 19, go softly’, experienced players go after them.

“So we’ve got to make sure that when he does play that he’s ready to play and we’ll just go gently, gently with him.”

Dragons best 17 for 2025.

Molo returned to his best football last season featuring in 23 games.

He played two matches for Queensland in 2021. He joined the Dragons from North Queensland a year later and has played 138 top grade games.

The Dragons allowed Zac Lomax, Ben Hunt and Jack Bird to be released from their contracts at the end of last season.

Originally published as Francis Molo granted leave, Dragons career appears over after refusing to train