He is contracted until the end of 2026.
The St George Illawarra Dragons are reportedly prepared to let winger Mikaele Ravalawa leave the club at the end of the 2024 NRL season.
The Fijian flyer, who is one of the most powerful ball-runners in the competition, has struggled to keep his spot in the Dragons’ side under Shane Flanagan this season.
Defensively fragility has been a major part of the issue for Ravalawa under Flanagan, while ball control has, at times, also been a struggle.
Missing from the NRL side for a considerable chunk of the last two months, Ravalawa returned in the Dragons’ last game against the Brisbane Broncos but has only managed to score three tries in eleven appearances so far and is no guarantee of keeping his spot over the final month and a half of the season as the Dragons push to play finals rugby league.
Scoring tries hasn’t been a problem throughout Ravalawa’s career, with the winger to this stage having 67 in 97 games.
According to Yorkshire Live, multiple English Super League clubs are now keeping tabs on the situation regarding the winger, even though Ravalawa is contracted with the Red V until at least the end of 2026.
It’s understood the Dragons are weighing up moving Ravalawa on at the end of this season if an offer comes through, and that the club will be happy to pay a portion of his salary.
It’s believed the Dragons are happy to have the winger move on in an attempt to balance their own salary cap, which is reportedly tight and will be worse if the Red V manage to lock up the signing of Daniel Saifiti, who has been asked to find a new home by the Newcastle Knights due to their own salary cap pressure.
There is no secret around the fact Flanagan and the Dragons are looking for a big-name prop to join the club, having made a play for Addin Fonua-Blake earlier this year, and more recently being linked to both Saifiti and Stefano Utoikamanu, who could leave the Tigers at the end of the year.
To do that though, they need to create salary cap space, and it’s understood Ravalawa is the player they plan to have make way.
While the Dragons will also lose Zac Lomax at the end of the season to the Parramatta Eels, the club have already re-signed Mat Feagai, and have Max off-contract, while the likes of Christian Tuiputlotu, Sione Finau, Jack Bird and Moses Suli will also be fighting for backline spots alongside a returning Corey Allan.
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