King-Togia puts Knights rumour to bed for good

St George Illawarra Dragons half has put rumours he had signed with the Newcastle Knights to bed once and for all.

First reported some weeks ago, rumours suggested he had signed with the Newcastle Knights for 2026 and beyond, only to backflip on the club and re-sign with the St George Illawarra Dragons during the ten-day cooling-off period.

The NRL enforced the ten-day period to prevent players from being publicly announced by a new club before backflipping.

The young half, now 20 years of age, is among the best young prospects in the game, but said on The Dragons Den Podcast this week that the reports he had signed with the Knights, or even toured their facilities, were false.

"Nothing was signed," King-Togia said on the podcast when quizzed.

"I was obviously in my last year here, and it was just options.

"Nothing signed.

"Nothing like that. I don't know where that, or the contract being signed, came from," he added when asked if he had toured the Knights' facilities at any stage.

Zero Tackle were told by the Knights a week ago that he had never signed with the club.

The young gun came from nowhere to make an NRL debut last year, having commenced 2024 in the SG Ball Cup - a competition for players under the age of 19.

His move through the grades, excelling at NSW Cup before being called into the top grade following a suspension in the final weeks of the season to five-eighth Kyle Flanagan, saw him play four NRL games.

He said he was never expecting to debut last year.

"It was massive. I was just cruising, playing footy. Just going out there, obviously playing my best, and things happened," he said when asked about his incredible year.

"Surprised. I wasn't planning for my debut at all."

He has now come into the first-grade side at halfback following the axing of Lachlan Ilias several weeks ago, and has been involved in two straight wins for the Red V, with the Dragons pushing their way towards the top eight against the Brisbane Broncos and Newcastle Knights, before preparing to face the Dolphins on Friday evening in Round 14.