The St George Illawarra Dragons have confirmed Squadron Energy will become the new major sponsor for the club's NRL and NRLW teams.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our club and Squadron Energy to build a partnership which revolves around excellence, innovation and community connection,” said Dragons CEO Ryan Webb.
“This partnership with Squadron Energy is more than just a sponsorship; it's a commitment to our fans, stakeholders and community and we are proud to have a partner that shares our passion for making a meaningful difference.
“We are delighted with the commitment Squadron has shown in what we are building in a very important and exciting time in our club's history and we look forward to working with them in 2024 and beyond.”
The multimillion-dollar partnership sees billionaire mining magnate Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest take his first steps into rugby league as he owns the renewable energy company, Squadron Energy.
It is understood that the partnership will see Forrest pay $1.2 million a season to advertise Squadron Energy on the front of their jersey from the 2025 season, per The Herald.
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 club's management, on-field form and player behaviour across the past few years.
“The Dragons have a strong connection to the Illawarra just like Squadron,” Squadron Energy CEO Jason Willoughby said.
“The region is an anchor for us to help deliver clean, reliable and affordable electricity for homes and businesses alike. Our Port Kembla Energy Terminal will help provide firming power to back up renewable energy generation, when it's needed.
“But our footprint is also expansive and extends along the eastern states, which is not dissimilar to the wide appeal and membership footprint of the Dragons.
“We have very ambitious plans to deliver a 14GW renewable energy pipeline by 2030, powering the equivalent of six million homes – just last week we announced start of work on another NSW wind farm. I really look forward to more people getting to know the importance of the energy transition.
“Importantly the Dragons have an incredible commitment to community. We are well aligned in our shared passion in giving back.
"I look forward to us working together on their fantastic community programs which deliver initiatives for young people focussed on respect, resilience and wellbeing for both ourselves and the environment.”