Done Deal: Dragons beat Panthers in pursuit for 26-year-old versatile playmaker

𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: 𝘿𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙊𝙉𝙎 𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙋𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙎 𝙄𝙉 𝘼𝘿𝘼𝙈 𝘿𝙊𝙐𝙀𝙄𝙃𝙄 𝙎𝙒𝙊𝙊𝙋

The St George Illawarra Dragons have officially won the race to sign Wests Tigers playmaker Adam Doueihi, beating out a late push from the Penrith Panthers to secure one of the NRL’s most versatile and resilient talents.

Despite an improved offer from the Tigers aimed at keeping their fan-favourite five-eighth in Concord, Doueihi has opted for a fresh start in Wollongong under head coach Shane Flanagan. The 26-year-old, who is off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, reportedly made his decision earlier this month, with Nine’s Michael Chammas confirming that the deal is as good as done.

Penrith, the reigning four-time premiers, expressed strong interest in Doueihi as a potential replacement for Luke Garner, targeting his ability to plug multiple roles across the backline and halves. However, the lure of consistent starting opportunities in the Red V jersey — paired with the chance to be a key architect of Flanagan’s rebuild — proved too strong to ignore.

Doueihi’s signing arrives at a crucial moment for the Dragons, who are preparing to lose veteran forward Jack de Belin to the Parramatta Eels next season and have faced well-documented struggles in the halves in 2025. Injuries, form concerns, and lack of continuity have plagued the spine all year — and Flanagan views Doueihi as a key solution to bring stability and spark to a side desperate to climb back into finals contention.

While his recent history of knee injuries (including three ACL reconstructions) has raised questions around his durability, there’s no doubting his impact when fit. Just last week, he delivered a clutch field goal to seal a dramatic 21-20 win over the Titans at a raucous Leichhardt Oval — a reminder of the calm and poise he brings in pressure moments.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Doueihi has been linked to the Dragons. He underwent a medical with the club at the end of last season as he returned from his most recent rehab stint. However, talks cooled and no contract materialized — until now.

This time, the stars have aligned. The Dragons get a ball-player with leadership qualities, toughness, and a point to prove. Doueihi gets a stable opportunity in the No.6 jersey and a coach who believes in his upside.

The Wests Tigers, meanwhile, face yet another rebuild setback, losing one of their few consistent performers in recent seasons. For Penrith, it’s a minor blip in their recruitment radar — but for the Dragons, it’s a calculated, strategic win.

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗲𝗶𝗵𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗩 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿.