With immediate effect, the Dragons have signed forward Luciano Leilua of Samoa to a three-year contract.
The 27-year-old will rejoin the team for which he played in the NRL in 2016.
Leilua, who has three Test caps for Samoa and 123 NRL games for the Dragons, Wests Tigers, and Cowboys, will be a great boost to the team’s forward stocks.
Coach Shane Flanagan expressed his happiness in having Luciano return to the Dragons, where he began his professional career.
“He will strengthen our roster as we go into the season as a strong and skilled edge forward.”
Injured back Corey Allan has dropped out to make room for Leilua on their top 30 roster, but he will be back in 2025 after agreeing to a one-year deal.
Sharks’ prop Braden Hamlin-Uele signed a two-year contract extension, recommitting to the team through the conclusion of 2026.
Since making his Cowboys debut in 2017, the New Zealand and Samoa representative has worn black, white, and blue for all but one of his 99 NRL appearances.
I love the boys and this club so much. They are my everything. I’m incredibly appreciative and thankful that I get to spend an additional two years with them since I love them like a second family, Hamlin-Uele remarked.
Additionally, the Sharks have revealed that young, talented attacker Jesse Colquhoun has received a two-year extension.
Football general manager Darren Mooney stated, “Jesse is a player of tremendous potential and everyone at the club is delighted he’s committed for another couple of years.”
The Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said that the 2024 season would be his last in the NRL, and he will join Hull KR in 2025.
“Hull KR has been constructing for several years. Although they were triumphant the year before, they lost the Cup Final. We have a pretty good team this year, and the victory over Hull showed how hard they’ve been preparing,” JWH stated.
