The St George Illawarra Dragons are very interested in speaking to Dolphin Jack Bostock, who came through the club’s junior systems, once the NRL’s formal November 1 free agency deadline comes around in just a few months.
Bostock played in the same Steelers SG Ball side as Stewart, Egan, and the Couchmans, but was passed over by the Dragons before going to the Dolphins.
- DON’T MISS OUR NRL TIPS – Click here to download our app on iPhone
- WIN CASH IN OUR NRL COMPS – Click here to download our app on Android
- CHECK OUT OUR NRL MATCH CENTRE: View stats, odds, betting insights, team lists, tips here
The Shellharbour outside back is among several top stars that the Red V rue letting walk out the door, including Dylan Lucas, Reece Robson, Jackson Ford, Tyran Wishart, and Jesse Colquhoun, most of whom were allowed to leave in the Anthony Griffin and Shane Flanagan eras.
While most have settled elsewhere, the Dragons are licking their lips at a rare opportunity to right old coach’s wrongs and bring one back.
Bostock is allowed to sign a new deal from November, and the Courier Mail is reporting he’ll test the open market instead of re-signing in Redcliffe.
It lines up perfectly for St George Illawarra, who will need to replace Valentine Holmes after 2027 – and plan to use the $850,000 he’s been earning to do it. Aging fullback Clinton Gutherson is also expected to leave at the same time, freeing up another $833K or so a year.
Herbie Farnworth is also tipped to leave the Dolphins for open waters; that should help the Red V, with most to chase Herbie before Bostock.
The club’s CEO Tim Watsford has made it very clear the Dragons have a strategy for recruitment and retention now: Keep the Red V’s pathways and academy programs strong into the future.
“Yes, there’s a lot of work to do… toward what I would like see become one of the most robust pathways and academy programs,” Watsford declared.
“So we have ‘Border Force,’ stopping other teams fishing in our pond, is a priority. It’s a rich nursery from the south coast, Illawarra and Kogarah area and that’s got to be our identity,” he explained.
“Dean [Young] has said a couple of times that the 2010 side [the last Dragons team to win a title] had 11 players from the region in it.”
There has been some action in that department already, with recent re-signings like Toby and Ryan Couchman and Loko Pasifiki-Tonga all bolstering what is an incredible young pack. Ryan Stewart and Dylan Egan had also been extended to 2029 earlier this season.
More NRL news
Priority re-signings: Dolphins sitting down with Finefeuiaki, Hammer
‘Transformed’: Ford’s form surge ends with Warriors re-signing
There’s been several external signings amid Young’s rebuild, too, including Keaon Koloamatangi, Scott Drinkwater, Luke Metcalf, and Phil Sami.
And the club is deep in conversations with Jacob Halangahu to keep him too.
Are you reading on our app? Download now for the best Sporting Base experience.
