Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, a billionaire mining magnate, is set to finalise a multimillion-dollar partnership with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
In what would be Forrest's first steps into rugby league,ย The Sydney Morning Heraldย has revealed that the Dragons are set to sign a $1.2m-a-season major sponsorship deal to advertise Squadron Energy on the front of their jersey from the 2025 season.
The business is Forrest's renewable energy company, which he owns.
The publication has reported that the initial meeting between Forrest's representatives and representatives from the Dragons took place a couple of months ago and was brokered by 2GB radio host Chris O'Keefe.
It is understood that since then, the two have developed a strong bond with one another.
With an assessed net worth of $33.29 billion according to the Financial Review 2023 Rich List, Forrest is recognised as the second-richest person in Australia, only behind Gina Rineheart.
The news comes as they will replace long-time partner St George Bank as the club's front-of-jersey sponsor. However, the club is eager to have a relationship with St George Bank in some capacity.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the bank decided to end its 40-year relationship with the club due to concerns about the management of the club, on-field form and player behaviour across the past few years.
โWe can confirm that 2024 will be the final season of St George Bank's sponsorship of theย St George Illawarra Dragons,โ A St George Bank spokesman said toย The Daily Telegraph.
"The partnership has been an important sponsorship for the bank, but the time is right to pursue new opportunities for our communities, business and customer priorities."
"We will continue to support the Dragons through 2024 as they assess their future sponsorship arrangements."
