Super League club use their last quota spot on Tongan international

Catalans Dragons star Siousiua Taukeiaho’s future has been a real whirlwind lately.

He was a major coup for the Dragons and Super League as a whole after literal years of speculation about a potential move to the club paved by the connection with Sydney boss Trent Robinson to the Dragons as their former coach as well as the fact Steve McNamara himself used to work for the Roosters as an assistant coach.

However, family reasons and perhaps a disappointment at himself as injuries got in the way of performance, prompted him to request a release which was granted by the Dragons.

That being said, within the statement about his release, the club revealed that the release was subject to a new club bringing him in which was set to be the Canterbury Bulldogs on a two year deal.

However, this deal collapsed due to a failed medical and since then the prop has been sighted training with the Dragons. It has now been reported by the Mole in Australia that he has signed for the club ahead of next year.

This means they have used their final quota spot ahead of the new season.

Upon signing for the club ahead of 2023, Taukeiaho said: “Sydney Roosters has been my home for almost ten years. The Club and the people in it will always be very special to me. There have been some special times and I’m looking forward to creating many more during the remainder of this season.

“Like the Roosters, Catalans Dragons have a proud history and I’m looking forward to joining them in 2023.

“Joining Catalans is an exciting opportunity for me and my family and I’m looking forward to linking back up with Steve McNamara who I know well from his time at the Roosters, and also some of my former teammates.

“While I’m pleased to have my future sorted, my only focus right now is doing my best for my teammates and paying the Roosters jersey the respect it deserves each week I wear it throughout the remainder of this season.”

Taukeiaho made his NRL debut in 2013 with the New Zealand Warriors. The goalkicking prop – who can also play second-row and loose forward – has played more than 150 games for Sydney, scoring 174 points since joining from the New Zealand Warriors in 2015. He won two Premiership titles in 2018 and 2019 and two World Club Challenges in 2019 and 2020.

He represented Tonga on eleven occasions and New Zealand one at representative level. He was named captain of Tonga in 2019.