Jaydn Su’A set to quit Dragons to join Parramatta in bombshell transfer
In yet another blow for the winless St George Illawarra Dragons, Queensland Origin forward Jaydn Su’A has told teammates he is leaving the club
Parramatta are closing in on the prized signature of Queensland forward Jaydn Su’A in another blow to battling St George Illawarra.
Su’A has an option in his contract at the Dragons for next season and the club was in discussions over a potential extension that would have kept him in Wollongong.
However, it is understood the Eels have snuck under their guard as they look to strengthen their forward pack by signing Su’A for next season.
Su’A had until next month to inform the Dragons of his intentions to remain at the club for one more season on a deal worth about $700,000.
Instead he will join Parramatta on a three-year deal.
The 28-year-old Su’A told his teammates on Saturday morning of his decision to leave the Dragons at the end of the season via WhatsApp.
He re-signed with the Dragons in May, 2024 for a further two seasons, however the final year was an option in Su’A’s favour to get out of the club.
He has now exercised that clause with the Dragons set to lose some rare genuine star power from their forward pack.
He has been a fixture in the Dragons side since joining the club from South Sydney at the end of 2021, playing 77 games for the club.
It is understood the Dragons had opened talks with Su’A’s camp over a new deal despite a poor run of results that culminated in their sixth successive loss to open the season against Manly on Friday night.
Stretching back to last season, the Dragons have lost 10 games in a row and serious questions are being asked about their entire football set up, including their recruitment and retention.
The Dragons had hoped Su’A friendship with marquee recruit Keaon Koloamatangi – who rejected the Eels to sign with St George Illawarra - may have swayed Su’A to remain at the club next season.
Koloamatangi and Su’A are close during their time spent together at South Sydney with Su’A having played in Koloamatangi’s debut match in 2020.
They also started in the back-rower alongside each other in South Sydney’s grand final loss to Penrith the following season.
The winless Dragons could now be on the look-out for two new starting back-rowers with Su’A and teammate Luciano Leilua also off-contract.
Damien Cook, Hame Sele, Tyrell Sloan, Christian Tuipulotu, Emre Guler and Nathan Lawson are the other players without deals for next season.
All but Lawson played in St George Illawarra’s record setting loss to Manly on Friday night.
Whilst the Dragons are in a strict retention freeze, they remain open to sign external recruits from next season which includes the impending arrival of Gold Coast outside back Philip Sami.
The Dragons will ask formalise talks with North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater who was granted permission by the Cowboys to talk with rival clubs despite 12 months left on his contract.
News of Su’A’s potential defection will only heighten concern over their pulling power.
The Eels, meanwhile, have been slowly building under coach Jason Ryles as they look to end a 40-year premiership drought that stretches back to their last title in 1986.
Su’A, who has played six games for the Maroons, would be another coup for Ryles as he attempts to end 40 years of pain for Parramatta fans.
The Samoan international has played 160 first grade games for Brisbane, South Sydney and the Dragons, as well as six games for Queensland.
In yet another blow for the winless St George Illawarra Dragons, Queensland Origin forward Jaydn Su’A has told teammates he is leaving the club
Parramatta are closing in on the prized signature of Queensland forward Jaydn Su’A in another blow to battling St George Illawarra.
Su’A has an option in his contract at the Dragons for next season and the club was in discussions over a potential extension that would have kept him in Wollongong.
However, it is understood the Eels have snuck under their guard as they look to strengthen their forward pack by signing Su’A for next season.
Su’A had until next month to inform the Dragons of his intentions to remain at the club for one more season on a deal worth about $700,000.
Instead he will join Parramatta on a three-year deal.
The 28-year-old Su’A told his teammates on Saturday morning of his decision to leave the Dragons at the end of the season via WhatsApp.
He re-signed with the Dragons in May, 2024 for a further two seasons, however the final year was an option in Su’A’s favour to get out of the club.
He has now exercised that clause with the Dragons set to lose some rare genuine star power from their forward pack.
He has been a fixture in the Dragons side since joining the club from South Sydney at the end of 2021, playing 77 games for the club.
It is understood the Dragons had opened talks with Su’A’s camp over a new deal despite a poor run of results that culminated in their sixth successive loss to open the season against Manly on Friday night.
Stretching back to last season, the Dragons have lost 10 games in a row and serious questions are being asked about their entire football set up, including their recruitment and retention.
The Dragons had hoped Su’A friendship with marquee recruit Keaon Koloamatangi – who rejected the Eels to sign with St George Illawarra - may have swayed Su’A to remain at the club next season.
Koloamatangi and Su’A are close during their time spent together at South Sydney with Su’A having played in Koloamatangi’s debut match in 2020.
They also started in the back-rower alongside each other in South Sydney’s grand final loss to Penrith the following season.
The winless Dragons could now be on the look-out for two new starting back-rowers with Su’A and teammate Luciano Leilua also off-contract.
Damien Cook, Hame Sele, Tyrell Sloan, Christian Tuipulotu, Emre Guler and Nathan Lawson are the other players without deals for next season.
All but Lawson played in St George Illawarra’s record setting loss to Manly on Friday night.
Whilst the Dragons are in a strict retention freeze, they remain open to sign external recruits from next season which includes the impending arrival of Gold Coast outside back Philip Sami.
The Dragons will ask formalise talks with North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater who was granted permission by the Cowboys to talk with rival clubs despite 12 months left on his contract.
News of Su’A’s potential defection will only heighten concern over their pulling power.
The Eels, meanwhile, have been slowly building under coach Jason Ryles as they look to end a 40-year premiership drought that stretches back to their last title in 1986.
Su’A, who has played six games for the Maroons, would be another coup for Ryles as he attempts to end 40 years of pain for Parramatta fans.
The Samoan international has played 160 first grade games for Brisbane, South Sydney and the Dragons, as well as six games for Queensland.
. In all seriousness though we probably have 2 more really good years of Moses? So this aint a bad pick up for trying to make us better in the short term. Do we know how long hes going to be signed with us?
