12 players to exit Dragons as Flanagan’s rebuild continues

The St George Illawarra Dragons have reportedly confirmed that 12 players will depart the club at the end of 2025, with a handful of new releases.

While the departures of Finau Latu (mid-season, Canterbury Bulldogs), Jack de Belin (Parramatta Eels), Mikaele Ravalawa (Castleford Tigers), Jonah Glover (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Sione Finau (Canberra Raiders) and Tom Eisenhuth (mid-season, retired) were already confirmed, News Corp are reporting that Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Corey Allan, Corey Ackers, Viliami Fifita and Michael Molo have also been released.

Ben Murdoch-Masila has also confirmed his decision to retire after spending most of the season in the NSW Cup.

Those five reported departures will be the next step in the Dragons' rebuild under coach Shane Flanagan, who is looking to reshape his squad, bringing in experience and building it around the club's enormous junior pathways.

Corey Ackers was one of the players in that pathways, but the middle forward wasn't able to fulfil his potential and leaves without an NRL game to his name.

Michael Molo, the brother of Francis, had some appearances at the back-end of the year in the top grade for the Dragons, but will now follow Francis, who left in the opening weeks of the season for the Dolphins after a falling out with the club, out the door.

Viliami Fifita joined the Dragons two years ago, but has failed to break through and become a consistent part of the 17, while Corey Allan was re-signed by the Dragons for 2025 despite missing the entirety of 2024 with an ACL injury that he picked up in one of his first training sessions with the club, having signed from the Sydney Roosters.

Raymond Faitala-Mariner, too, saw his role diminish throughout 2025 and will now be on the lookout for a new club.

The extra spots in the roster for the Dragons will free up the club to promote and push their junior talent, led by the likes of Hamish Stewart and Loko Pasifiki Tonga, while the arrival of Daniel Atkinson will add to the halves for next year.

The players departing mean David Klemmer is the only player left at the club without a contract for 2026, while there will be continuing dialogue around the future of Lachlan Ilias in the coming weeks, although he is contracted for 2026.