St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has revealed a decision is imminent from New Zealand Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake over his future.
The star forward has requested a release on compassionate grounds from his current club, and while he won't get it for 2024, it's believed the club will grant him permission to move to Sydney in 2025.
It's unclear if the Warriors will demand a player swap, but the race for Fonua-Blake's signature is down to just two teams.
The Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs were previously in the race, but have since pulled the pin on their respective pursuits of the Dally M team of the year member, while the St George Illawarra Dragons have tabled a $4.5 million, four-year offer.
It's understood the Sharks are still weighing up whether they will make a formal offer for the prop.
Despite that, Flanagan told News Corp that they are hoping for a decision before Christmas.
โWe are hoping for a decision before Christmas,โ Flanagan told The Daily Telegraph.
โWe have had a fair bit of dialogue the last couple of days so we are hoping this week."
Flanagan reportedly has big-money offers on the table for not just Fonua-Blake, but also North Queensland Cowboys half Thomas Dearden and Sydney Roosters star Joseph Manu.
The club are also chasing Cowboys second-rower Heilum Luki who is understood to have toured facilities in Wollongong last week.
The coach said Fonua-Blake's signature would be enormous and could go some way to keeping Ben Hunt at the club after the star halfback was knocked back over his own release request in the middle of 2023 and is now set to see out the final two years of his contract at the joint-venture despite a desire to move back to Queensland.
โHe would be enormous. It could be the start of the turnaround,โ Flanagan said.
โWe need some elite representative-type players and in my opinion, he is one of the best front rowers in the game.
โThat is the start of the process we want to take. To get some real quality players to the club and he would be the start of it.
โ(If Fonua-Blake signs) I am sure Ben won't want to go anywhere. It is just (about knowing) where we are heading.
โHis frustration has been about the club not winning. He wants to win.โ
The Dragons are seemingly the favourites for Fonua-Blake's signature with significant money to throw around, and it may help that the prop once played junior rugby league at the club.
The Warriors will have to agree to any contract Fonua-Blake signs.
