Things are going from bad to worse for the St George Illawarra Dragons with Tuesday afternoon's revelation Loko Pasifki Tonga has put in a request to leave the club.
The rising star is rated as one of the best young forwards in the game, and with good reason.
His engine, leg drive and size gives him uncoachable attributes - attributes which have been clear throughout his progression.
The Dragons have a host of young forwards, but Pasifiki Tonga, who played for the NSW under 19 side two years ago and was part of St George's drought-breaking SG Ball Cup in the same year, has been rated as the best of them.
His numbers at reserve grade level have made it bewildering that he hasn't seen more than the ten games in the NRL he played last year, and maybe his release request - which came after what Zero Tackle believed to be weeks of disgruntlement - maybe doesn't come as a huge surprise.
Plenty of clubs are in needs of forwards immediately or otherwise in the long-term, and while it's unclear whether the Dragons will soften their stance and grant him an immediate out from the club, here are the likely contenders for his signature.
6. North Queensland Cowboys
In truth, a move to Townsville probably wouldn't grant Pasifiki Tonga more minutes immediately given the form Jason Taumalolo is in, and the fact that Coen Hess is still at the club.
But there is little doubt both of those players are approaching retirement, while the jury is still out on the likes of Griffin Neame and Thomas Mikaele playing from the bench.
Neame is certainly floated as the next forward pack leader, while Kaiden Lahrs is also coming through the club's system and has plenty about him.
But whether either of those players have the ability to lead a forward pack like Pasifiki Tonga likely will at some point remains to be seen.
The Cowboys should be picking up the phone.
