Sea Eagles wrecking ball Moses Suli is all set to take up a $1.6m deal from the cash-flushed St George Illawarra Dragons, after being told he is surplus to Manly requirements heading into the 2022 season.
The 23-year-old finds himself out the outer at Brookvale this year, with Morgan Harper and Brad Parker the preferred pairing for the maroon and whites as Des Hasler’s men continue to build a credible title tilt.
Suli has since been given permission to speak to other NRL clubs for 2022.
That includes the Dragons, who previously chased Suli in mid-2020, and have now tabled a rich $1.6 million deal that would keep the game-breaking centre in the Red V until at least 2024.
The Sporting Base understands Suli and his agent, Mario Tartak, have verbally accepted the offer.
The move comes after reports the Tongan international has become “frustrated” with his time on the pine this year. Suli, who started his career at the West Tigers in 2017, truly exploded onto the NRL scene in 2019 in Manly’s march to the semifinals.
The breakout centre played 22 games that year, and scored six tries.
He played a further 16 games in 2020, scoring three times, but had his NRL season cut short during a 56-16 loss to the Rabbitohs. The footy injury cruelled his chances to get back on the park.
In 2021, the Kogarah-bound star strung four games together at the start of the season, all losses. The next 14 weeks were spotty at best, with Suli wracking up just 101 minutes against the Broncos (12), Eels (7), Knights (15), and Cowboys (67). His first try came in round 17, during a 30-16 loss to the Raiders after the game shifted to Queensland last month.
Recently, Suli came on as 18th man in Manly’s 56-10 win over the floundering Eels and scored twice.
The Sporting Base expects Suli to slot into the No.3 jumper for the Dragons.
His signing will see Jack Bird shift out of the centres — a position he’s set to return to this week against the Roosters after playing the last fortnight at fullback — either into the 5/8th jumper or, more likely, into the second-row rotations.
The Dragons have already gone on a spending spree heading into 2022; Moses Suli will join Moses Mbye, Jaydn Su’A, and rampaging prop Francis Molo as the club’s new recruits.
