English Super League club Catalans Dragons have announced the signing of St George Illawarra Dragons forward Hame Sele.
The Tongan international will make the move to France on a two-year deal, with an extra year coming as an option for Sele.
The Australian Schoolboy and junior NSW Blues representative played his junior footy for the Kingsgrove Colts in the heart of the St George local area.
Sele suffered from injury setbacks in his time at the Red V and finished the season with an Achilles injury, with just five appearances in the NRL this year.
With his Dragons contract finishing up at the end of 2026, the French club has opted to strengthen their forward pack for next season and beyond by locking down an experienced middle.
Sele has shown a world of promise with plenty of quality attributes to his game, but injuries have always seemed to follow him throughout his 94-game career, limiting his time to build at NRL level over ten seasons.
He was called up for Test honours with Tonga in 2023, playing two matches for his country coming off the bench in both encounters when they faced England.
The 29-year-old middle forward made his NRL debut with the Dragons in 2017, before spending one season at the Panthers in 2019, four at the Rabbitohs, then back at the Red V for another three years.
Sele's best season was with the Bunnies in 2023, playing 18 matches that year and locking down a 95% tackle efficiency.
That year he registered a mammoth 796 post-contact metres, blowing his previous numbers out of the park in a decisive career year.
Sele is best described as a defensive anchor, and throughout his nine years playing in the NRL, he hasn't dropped below a 93% tackle efficiency average during the season.
In his five matches this year, he made 121 tackles and missed one, noting his excellent defensive capabilities.
He did not appear again in the Dragons' lineup following Round 7 against the Sea Eagles.
Sele will stiffen up the Catalans' middle after a tough season on the paddock saw them finish in ninth position this year with 10 wins and 17 losses for the year.
He will join other NRL recruits, including Jesse Arthars and Tyson Gamble, to make the move to the south of France under John Cartwright.
Joe Burgess, Alex Mellor, Amir Bourouh, Arthur Romano and Luca Walsh have all committed to the Dragons for 2027.
