St George Illawarra Dragons 2025 NRL season scouting report: Best 17, every player’s contract status, rookie watch
St George Illawarra Dragons have lost two of the best attacking threats in the competition. MICHAEL CARAYANNIS analyses how the club will combat the loss and which rookies are set to debut in 2025.
Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax were responsible for over 50 try involvements for St George Illawarra in 2024.
They will both line up for rival clubs in 2025, leaving Shane Flanagan searching for points with a spine that has never played together.
MICHAEL CARAYANNIS reveals how the Dragons’ strong recruitment drive can help remedy the star pair’s exit, while also revealing the club is expected to call on several rising stars from their local nursery in 2025.
Free agency wrap
A strong turnover of high-end players going both ways. Have recruited almost everything that they need, including some much-needed experience.
They have been super active and would have liked to add a world-class prop to their roster but, overall, one of the best periods of recruiting for the club in recent years.
It is an area they still want to strengthen long-term.
They have also signed Shane Flanagan-style of players, in terms of veterans who train hard and know how to get the job done. It was the successful blueprint he used in Cronulla. The test will be how quickly their new-look spine settle in with Kyle Flanagan the only mainstay from last season.
Damien Cook and Lachlan Ilias have the added advantage of having played plenty of first grade alongside each other.
Despite some strong signings they lost their best player from 2024 in, Zac Lomax, and their best player in the past five years in Ben Hunt. However, their additions will make for a much stronger squad.
RATING: B
Coach status
You could see the similarities to what Shane Flanagan achieved at the Sharks to what he is now building at St George Illawarra. He is in the middle of a three-year deal and any top-eight appearance should guarantee a contract extension.
The Dragons fell just short of a finals appearance in his first season, but he still gets a massive pass mark considering what he was able to get out of a squad which, on paper, was not top-eight quality.
The test will be to see how much he can improve the squad, which is stronger after some good recruiting.
While the Dragons are in no rush to get a new deal sorted, as they naturally want to wait and see what results bring in 2025, Flanagan will make the decision easy for them should they look like playing finals football.
They would also like to see Flanagan attract another marquee player or two for 2026 with the Dragons still having salary cap space to sign a big name.
Safety rating: A
Likely debutant(s)
The Dragons have three players in their top 30 who are yet to play first grade.
Dylan Egan made headlines this time last year, but was unable to make his debut. He played a full season of NSW Cup, featuring in 24 games which has given him a strong platform for this year.
Fellow local product Hamish Stewart is another player who the club hope will have a long first grade career.
The pair are back-rowers and will eventually put pressure to make it into the top 17.
Stewart went close to playing first grade in 2024 and, if results had been different at the back end of the year, he may have been given a taste.
Shane Flanagan has already said it is a matter of time before 19-year-old Loko Pasifiki Tonga is given an opportunity. It is a balancing act for Flanagan, who already believes Tonga, at 196cm and 120kg, is ready for the NRL but still needs to be tested against men on a regular basis.
He has already impressed by getting in some training work before the rest of the squad resumed pre-season duties. The Australian Schoolboys representative is destined to be an NRL regular.
Who takes the next step
Toby and Ryan Couchman had indifferent 2024 seasons despite being tipped to be regular NRL players.
Shane Flanagan was very patient with the pair who had made their NRL debuts a season earlier. Toby played 15 games in his first season but just 11 in 2024 while Ryan was able to play one more than the five he played in 2023.
The Dragons did not allow the pair to hit the open market after they both agreed to new deals which will keep them at the club until at least the end of 2027. It shows what the club thinks of them.
They are popular figures at the Dragons and they have hopes that not only can they be forward leaders, but potential Dragons captains. The amount of NSW Cup they played should help them when it comes to finding the consistency they need to be in the top 17.
BURNING ISSUES
Spine factor
Very few teams head into a new season with a change to three of out the four key positions, but that’s what exactly confronts the Dragons.
They will need them all to come together and quickly. The new halves combination of Lachlan Ilias and Kyle Flanagan will be an interesting one given the rollercoaster careers the pair have had. Veterans Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson will not only be calming influences, they are going to have a huge say in how the team goes in 2025.
How Sloan handles fullback demotion
There is little doubt about the ability of Tyrell Sloan with the football. His development probably has not progressed as quickly as people at the club would’ve liked. But the talent is all there.
He will head into this season without the expectation of playing fullback, with Clint Gutherson wearing the No.1 jersey and Sloan expected to start on the wing. But he needs to ensure that he does not get lost without games. If he doesn’t come looking for the ball he will be a wasted talent. However, if they can find a way to get him involved then he will become an attacking threat.
Shane Flanagan contract distraction
While there will be little chatter around Shane Flanagan’s contract at the start of the season, those murmurs will intensify as the year goes on. The Dragons should rightly hold their nerve at the moment but all things are pointing to a contract extension for Flanagan should the Dragons continue to progress under him. He is contracted until the end of 2026 after signing a three-year deal but the player market will want to know who the long-term coach is before they commit to the club.
Crystal ball
They should be on the cusp of the top eight. Despite not making the finals last season they still overachieved. They will now have all the tools to do better after another season under Flanagan and a better balanced roster. Competing for the top eight at the end of season will be another step in the right direction and a finals finish would be a successful year.
2025 odds
Winners: $67
Minor premiership: $67
Top 4: $13
Top 8: $4.25
Most losses: $5
*Odds courtesy TAB
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