The St George Illawarra Dragons have confirmed a two-year contract extension for outside back Mathew Feagai.
It had previously been rumoured that both Mathew and his brother Max Feagai would be exiting the club at the end of the 2024 NRL season, with the club unlikely to offer them new deals.
However, Mat has been welcomed back into first-grade in recent weeks, and, making the most of other injuries and the State of Origin selection of Zac Lomax, has jumped up the pecking order to be pushing for more consistent first-grade honours.
Playing four games this season, he has averaged 126 metres per game, and already has three tries to his name for the campaign.
That, combined with the fact the Dragons have lost Zac Lomax to the Parramatta Eels for next season, and youngster Savelio Tamale to the Canberra Raiders, means Feagai has a new contract for the next two seasons through to the end of 2026, with Shane Flanagan pleased with the signing.
“We have been very pleased with the work that Mat has put in this year to push his way back into the NRL side,” the club’s head coach Shane Flanagan said in a statement confirming the news.
“He is a talented and versatile outside back who we are confident will continue to improve his game.”
Feagai has now made a total of 55 NRL appearances sine debuting in Round 9, 2021.
It’s understood the club are also in the process of working through an extension for Max Feagai, although the deal is yet to be announced.
Mathew Feagai joins the likes of Corey Allan, Francis Molo, Jack de Belin, Tyrell Sloan, Michael Molo, Jaydn Su’A and Moses Suli to have re-signed until at least the end of next season, while the fight for backline spots will go up a gear as another youngster in Sione Fainu pushes for a spot on the wing.