The St George Illawarra Dragons have announced that they have extended the contract of prop Francis Molo for another two seasons.

Initially off-contract at the end of this season, the new contract will see Molo remain at the club until at least the end of the 2026 NRL season.

The decision to re-sign Molo comes after reports emerged that three NRL teams, including the New Zealand Warriors, were interested in signing him for next season.

A two-time Origin representative for Queensland, Molo has played 42 games for the Red V since joining the club at the beginning of the 2022 season.

While it is understood that he is currently on an approximation of $600,000 per season, it is unknown how much the new deal is worth.

โ€œFrancis is thoroughly deserving of this extension given the way he has bought into where we are going as a team,โ€ said Dragons coach Shane Flanagan in a statement.

โ€œHe has worked hard throughout the pre-season and I believe his best years are ahead of him as a player.

โ€œI am looking forward to him playing a pivotal role in our forward pack as we continue to build the roster over the coming months.โ€