St George Illawarra has secured three more of the rising superstars in the rebuilding club’s young pack, re-signing hard-working twins Toby and Ryan Couchman as well as emerging pack alpha Loko Pasifiki Tonga this week.
Dragons fans everywhere will agree they’re some incredible retentions, alongside Dylan Egan and Hamish Stewart’s upgrades earlier this year.
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While a lot of focus has been paid to the Red V’s outside pickups, including Keaon Koloamatangi, Scott Drinkwater, and Luke Metcalf, keeping the incredible junior-filled pack together had been just as crucial.
It’s often been pointed out that the Dragons have struggled to keep local products in recent years, with the list of losses over the last few NRL seasons ranging from Jack Bostock, Reuben Garrick, and Jesse Colquhoun to Ashton Ward, Reece Robson, Jason Saab and Tyson Frizell.
They’ve not made the same mistake this time around, though, and locked in their future superstars – all of whom were very eager to stay.
“This is our home, so it’s unreal to be extending here,” Toby said.
“I believe strongly in what we are building under Dean Young, and we’re [he and brother Ryan] both excited about the opportunity to help push this club back towards where it belongs. We know there is plenty of hard work ahead of us, but that is something we want to be part of.”
Pasifiki Tonga said similar when he re-signed on Wednesday, declaring that he was “really excited” after breaking into the first team recently.
“I’ve been enjoying my footy, and I believe in the direction that Youngy is taking us. I’ve been at the Dragons since I was 17 years old; I’ve grown up here, and I’ve built a lot of relationships. I love my teammates, and I’m confident that we are on the way up here,” he told club media today.
St George Illawarra also formally crowned Young the head coach for 2027 and 2028 in recent weeks, which may have been a master stroke.
“When Dean took over as the first-grade coach, he gave Loko some very clear messages about what he wants from him at the club,” Loko’s manager Craig Clifton told Nine Sports this week.
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“For Loko, [the eventual decision to re-sign] was about who was coaching the club,” the NRL player agent continued. “Dean is getting the best out of Loko as a front-rower. Loko trusted that Dean would bring the players in to that great forward pack so the club can improve.
“His goal now is to work hard and keep that starting position.”
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