The St George Illawarra Dragons have expressed interest in signing star prop Terrell May for the 2025 NRL season, but head coach Shane Flanagan insists the club won’t be drawn into a bidding war for his services. May, who enjoyed a standout 2024 campaign with the Sydney Roosters, has surprisingly been told he is free to explore other opportunities despite being contracted for next year.
Dragons Prioritizing Playmaker and Middle Forward
While Flanagan acknowledges May’s talent and appeal, he stresses that the Dragons have other priorities as they look to fill two remaining spots on their 2025 roster. With the shock decision to terminate the contract of captain Ben Hunt, the club is now in the market for a playmaker to partner Flanagan’s son Kyle in the halves.
In addition to a creative backline general, St George Illawarra is also keen to bolster their forward pack with a quality middle forward. Flanagan explains:
We talk to a lot of players … It’s like buying a house. You don’t put bids in for all of them and we’ll be similar with Terrell. We’re at talks but whether it’s at a point that we’re putting offers in and so on, we’ll see.
Keeping Options Open
Rather than rushing to sign May, the Dragons boss is content to keep the club’s options open and monitor the player market in the coming months. Flanagan suggests they may even leave one roster spot vacant heading into the 2025 campaign to provide flexibility in case of injury or other unforeseen circumstances.
This cautious approach is informed by the club’s experience in 2024, when outside back Corey Allan suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Having cap space and a free roster position allowed the Dragons to bring in a replacement swiftly.
Lawson Set to Join Dragons
One player who does seem destined to link up with St George Illawarra in 2025 is rugby sevens convert Nathan Lawson. The Olympic representative, who was recently named Australian men’s sevens player of the season, is expected to finalize a switch to the 13-man code once his Rugby Australia contract expires next month.
Though Lawson is unlikely to be included in the Dragons’ top 30 squad initially, Flanagan has high hopes for his transition to rugby league. The coach points to Lawson’s size, speed, and athleticism as key attributes that should allow him to adapt quickly and have an impact from the outside backs.
He’s a footy player and he’ll adapt to league pretty quickly, he loves league and has watched it (his entire life) … he went to school with Cameron Murray.
– Shane Flanagan on Nathan Lawson
Hunt Departure Leaves Halves Void
The Dragons’ decision to part ways with skipper Ben Hunt has undoubtedly left a significant hole in their playmaking stocks. As it stands, Kyle Flanagan and rising star Jayden Sullivan look set to form a new halves pairing in 2025, with the club hoping they can rekindle the sort of combination that took the Sharks to within a game of the 2022 Grand Final.
While the Dragons remain active in the player market and have the capacity to make a big splash if the right opportunity presents itself, Flanagan appears content to take a measured approach. The experienced coach knows that rebuilding a successful roster takes time and that sometimes patience can be just as important as decisive action.
Striking the Right Balance
As the Dragons navigate the always-tricky waters of NRL roster management, finding the right balance between short-term needs and long-term planning will be crucial. The club has shown a willingness to make tough calls, as evidenced by the Hunt situation, but they will also be wary of making knee-jerk reactions or overpaying for talent in a competitive marketplace.
In Terrell May, they have identified a quality target who could undoubtedly add steel and skill to their forward rotation. But as Flanagan’s comments suggest, the Dragons won’t be held to ransom or pressured into making a hasty decision. They will continue to assess all available options and make calculated moves with an eye firmly fixed on building a roster capable of challenging for premiership glory in the years ahead.
For Dragons fans, the coming months will be a fascinating time as they wait to see how the final pieces of the 2025 puzzle fall into place. While the departure of Hunt still stings for many, there is a growing sense of optimism and excitement around the club’s future direction. If Flanagan and his staff can get their recruitment and retention right, a new era of Red V success may be just around the corner.
