Fresh off the confirmation that potential New South Wales State of Origin debutant Zac Lomax will head to the Parramatta Eels next season, the St George Illawarra Dragons have reportedly made a play for Blaize Talagi.
The Eels are desperate to prevent a junior exodus from continuing by locking up Talagi's services long-term, but the young gun has yet to put pen to paper.
It has become clear he is testing his options on the open market before signing away his future, and as it stands, he is no guarantee to remain in blue and gold beyond the end of the current season.
For his part, it's clear Eels' coach Brad Arthur wants Talagi to remain in Western Sydney.
“We want Blaize here at the club," Brad Arthur told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"We probably still don't know what his best position is.
"Five-eighth, fullback, centre? Centre is probably the easiest position when you are starting out. But we want to keep him."
Lomax, who will head to the Eels at the end of 2024, leaves a vacant wing spot at the Dragons, and while the club have the likes of Christian Tuipulotu and Sione Finau as options to go into the position, they may attempt to bring Talagi to the club and place him straight into the vacant spot with Fox Sports reporting that is the approach which has been made.
Shane Flanagan is desperate to add talent to his roster, having been previously linked with Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Tom Dearden, Addin Fonua-Blake, and David Fifita, among others, without success.
The Dragons have 13 players off-contract at the end of the 2024 season and are said to have around $2 million in salary cap space for the 2025 NRL season.
While Parramatta have tabled a three-year extension for Talagi - who is seen as the eventual replacement at fullback for Clint Gutherson - the Dragons are believed to have been working on an offer for months, although it's unclear at this stage for how long or how much money.
Talagi has impressed during his first-grade opportunities this year and while he can play at fullback or five-eighth as his predominant positions, he could realistically line up anywhere across the backline.
Whether Talagi would be interested in fighting for a wing spot at the Red V under Shane Flanagan remains to be seen, although he could well put his hand up for a role in the spine given fullback Tyrell Sloan - who has been offered a new deal at the joint-venture - and five-eighth Kyle Flanagan certainly don't have their roles locked down with cement after a mixed start to 2024.
It's understood the Dragons are also in the hunt for Jeremy Marshall-King, who is off-contract at the Dolphins at the end of next year.
