St George Illawarra Dragons head of recruitment Daniel Anderson has confirmed the joint-venture are closing in on the signatures of key future forwards Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Jacob Halangahu.
The Dragons have had one of the biggest squad rebuilds and retention efforts of any club heading into 2027.
The Red V confirmed over the weekend in a major boost that both Toby and Ryan Couchman have re-signed with the club through to the end of 2030, while they have also locked up the signatures of Dylan Egan and Hamish Stewart this year.
On top of that, the club have added Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Luke Metcalf, Phillip Sami, Connor Watson and most recently Kodi Nikorima to their roster for next year.
The moves leave few questions over the Dragons' future direction, but the duo of Pasifiki Tonga and Halangahu, both off-contract at the end of 2027, was maybe the biggest.
Speaking on 2GB Radio's The Continuous Call Team though, Anderson, who joined the Dragons as recruitment manager in 2025, revealed negotiations are well underway to retain the duo.
"We will look towards retaining our best local boys," Anderson said on the show.
"I don't think there will be too much space [between new signings].
"We are in fairly deep negotiations with them [Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Jacob Halangahu."
If they re-sign prior to November 1, it would ensure none of the Dragons' six young forwards who have played first-grade this year are eligible to negotiate with other clubs on that date.
Pasifiki Tonga has in recent weeks shown his motor at first-grade level, playing bigger minutes and becoming one of the Dragons' best, while Halangahu has also featured from the bench and is able to play on the edge or in the middle.
PasifikI Tonga, a likely future Origin player who also represented NSW under-19 a few years ago would be the biggest retention scalp of the six for the Dragons given he had requested a release earlier this year during the final weeks of Shane Flanagan's tenure.
He eventually withdrew that after finding minutes under Dean Young.
The Dragons, in addition to their six young forwards, also have Kade Reed locked up as the future of the number seven jumper.
The club will almost certainly win the wooden spoon this year, but have been tipped by many as the ones likely to have the biggest bounce next year.
