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.
2. Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm's season is lurching from one disaster to the next so far, and Craig Bellamy will be looking for answers.
There is no doubt the club have failed to replace Nelson Asofa-Solomona, while losing Tui Kamikamica to medical reasons hasn't helped.
The Storm are short in the middle, and that was on full display last weekend as they were thumped by the Warriors.
An immediate signing of Pasifiki Tonga could well put minds at ease in the Victorian capital if he can come good quickly under Craig Bellamy.
