South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Hame Sele has confirmed he will move back to the St George Illawarra Dragons from the start of the 2024 season on a three-year deal.
The contract means Sele will spend at least the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons at the Dragons.
Sele, who began his career at the Dragons, has played 69 NRL matches, with the last 46 of those at the Rabbitohs since joining the club at the start of the 2020 season.
Becoming an important part of Jason Demetriou's forward pack, Sele played 14 games last year through injury and has managed 15 already this year with a 94 per cent tackle efficiency and 113 metres per game in the middle forward.
A workhorse of a forward, Sele played the first 18 games of his career at the Dragons in 2017 and 2018 before shifting to the Penrith Panthers where he managed five games in 2019.
Sele is the next step for incoming coach Shane Flanagan, who is looking to revitalise the Dragons roster. Already Moses Mbye has been released to England, while the club has been linked with Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui in recent times as potential acquisitions over the next two years.
Flanagan has also brought former premiership-winning player Dean Young back on board as an assistant coach.
General manager of football Ben Haran said the club was excited to bring a local junior back to the joint-venture.
“We're excited to bring a local St George junior back to the club, particularly one who is now an established and consistent starting NRL forward,” Dragons General Manager of Football Ben Haran said in a club statement.
“Hame's qualities as a player and a person will make him a welcome addition to our roster as we move forward as a club.”
The signing comes after the Dragons promoted Dylan Egan and Savelio Tamale to the top squad for 2024, while the only losses to date have been Josh Kerr and Aaron Woods alongside Mbye. Both Kerr and Woods were handed immediate releases.
The club have already re-signed Jack de Belin, Blake Lawrie and Michael Molo in the middle third.
On the Rabbitohs' part, head of football Mark Ellison said Sele still has an important role to play over the final weeks of the season as the men from Redfern make another push into the finals.
“Hame has done a great job for us over the past three-and-a-half years and he will be a quality player for his next Club next season," Ellison said in a statement.
“In saying that, he still has a big and important role to play for us for the remainder of this season and we look forward to his performances in the red and green for the rest of this year.
“We wish him, Maria, Valentina, Maia and Ximena all the best into the future
“Hame will always be a Rabbitoh.”
Sele will link up with the Dragons at the start of pre-season training in November.