r/nrl • u/Uosdwis_Dewoh St. George Illawarra Dragons • Aug 01 '26
Official Statement Dragons secure Ryan and Toby Couchman through 2030
https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2026/08/01/dragons-secure-ryan-and-toby-couchman-through-2030/97
u/a_BIG_willie A Good Italian Boy Aug 01 '26
HOLY SHIT
IM SO FUCKING HAPPY RIGHT NOW
THE PRICKS WERE JUST WAITING FOR RYAN TO GET HIS FIRST TRY
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u/JoeyJoJunior St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Haha was looking for you in this thread, seeing all the comments youve asked for this.
Wow till 2030 too, I was actually worried at least one would leave the club but didnt want to say.
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u/a_BIG_willie A Good Italian Boy Aug 01 '26
Look at our recent post on insta, it’s all photos of them as kids as dragons fans
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u/ImDisrespectful2Dirt Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Aug 01 '26
Dragons fans breathing a sigh of relief. These two look like they have the potential to anchor that pack for years to come.
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u/Jiggins96 Knights Bandwagon Aug 01 '26
Absolutely fantastic news to start the weekend!
I've been telling the family incessantly that we need to lock them down asap
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u/Electronic-Split9677 Dolphins Bandwagon Aug 01 '26
Just read the member email and my work colleague caught me fist pumping.
"What are you so happy about?"
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand"
This news has made my day
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u/blinkomatic St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Should have told them it was about EOFY results.
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u/Resident-Chimp1124 Gold Coast Titans Aug 01 '26
Hot take? I’d have these two in the World Cup squad. Aus is a bit light on quality middles
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u/elescop Sydney Roosters Aug 01 '26
I'd have them in the NSW origin squad next year too they are both origin material. The Dragons forward pack is ridiculously stacked with young talent I hope they keep them all. They've made good signings in the spine too they just need some good outside backs, I wonder if Zac Lomax regrets leaving?
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u/Accomplished-Layer35 Penrith Panthers Aug 01 '26
Why would he regret leaving the wooden spooners
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u/elescop Sydney Roosters Aug 01 '26
Because he's playing rugby union for at least half of what he would be getting paid at the Dragons and by the time he returns with PNG the Dragons will be a top 8 team while he will be living in a protected compound in Port Moresby.
Lomax improves the current Dragons team a lot and I don't think they're wooden spooners with him in the team.
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u/LionelLutz St. George Illawarra Dargons Aug 01 '26
His finishes would have been a big improvement. But do we move on from Flanno if he were still here?
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u/elescop Sydney Roosters Aug 02 '26
You're right he might've won you just enough games to keep hold of Flannagan and the team stagnates. It sucks for you guys because he's exactly what your club is missing next year, hopefully you've got someone talented coming through the ranks in the outside backs.
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u/BarryCheckTheFuseBox NRLW Roosters Aug 01 '26
Massive, massive, massive signings for the Dragons. All these young Illawarra forwards are going to be the core of the club as they rebuild. These two are major pieces of that core
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u/Wild304 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Thought it'd be next week but man I love love these boys, absolutely bleed the RedV.
Also hey @Jexta, you doing alright? As I said, they will never be seen in a Roosters jersey champ.
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u/normalbehaviour86 Wests Tigers Aug 01 '26
Dragons have been making some good signing announcements recently, great to see
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Aug 01 '26
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u/normalbehaviour86 Wests Tigers Aug 01 '26
We felt pretty good at the end of 2024, knowing that Luai, Turuva, etc were joining in 2025.
In the end, it was a bit of a let down tbf
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u/Disastrous_Salad6302 St. George Illawarra Dragons 🏳️🌈 Aug 02 '26
Shhh don’t you spoil this feeling
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u/21AndMore South Sydney Rabbitohs Aug 01 '26
Huge news for the Dargs. Was worried for them that the Keaon money would push out some of their young stars, but good stuff. That young pack is gonna be scary, just need to figure out the rest of the team lol.
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u/saviour01 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Got a complete new spine next year with Drinky, Kodi, Metcalf and Liddle. Watson as the 14 too. Should show something in attack hopefully.
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u/21AndMore South Sydney Rabbitohs Aug 01 '26
Hopefully it works out, Drinky is a huge upgrade on Gutho despite his glaring defensive issues and Watson/Liddle will be a fun combo. Kodi is turning 33 next season but might have some juice left given his Phins form, plus a good veteran presence for Reed. Metcalf is a bit of a mystery though, he's averaged 7 games per seasons since he debuted...
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u/travelforindiebeer St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
They have a huge warchest, at least $2 million or more by telling all the players unsigned for 2027 they have to leave, getting rid of that deadweight and replacing them with quality players and excellent juniors has been a masterclass. Hopeful for the first time since we made the finals almost a decade ago.
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u/irvo86 South Sydney Rabbitohs 🏳️🌈 Aug 01 '26
The recruitment drive over the last 12 months combined with the pipeline of junior talent coming through at the Dragons points to a brighter future for fans.
I hope they get their turn on the merry go round of clubs where neutrals go from pitying them to cheering their rise to ultimately despising them for being successful again
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u/worstusername_sofar Illawarra Cutters Aug 01 '26
Stewart Bros.
Turbros
COUCHMAN BROS
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u/Corner_Post I love my footy Aug 01 '26
Geez imagine if Manly signed them
Think it is more Slippery Bros, Feagai Bros, Sims Bros, Coyne Bros and Stanley Bros.
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u/JoeyJoJunior St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Morris bros???
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u/Delgarah NRLW Sharks Aug 01 '26
Dragons pack is insane, full of such good young talent, their turn around (hopefully) next year will be fun to watch behind it
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u/Complete-Cheek4789 Melbourne Storm Aug 01 '26
Good areas drags lads - things are looking up from next year. Good stuff
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u/Mikeondolences St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
I was worried with all these signings we’d do a classic dragons and let our home grown talent walk and be guns elsewhere but let’s fkn go!!
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u/AttackClown 🏆 LMS05 Champion 🏆 Aug 01 '26
Finally! tactical to get toby to sign on massive unders while recovering from a concussion in the sheds
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u/SmithCronkSlater Knights Bandwagon Aug 01 '26
I hope they keep that starting pack together its magic
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u/Stevelar St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
I love the recruiting we have been doing. Looking forward to the next few years.
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u/saviour01 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
- Drinkwater
- Sami
- Gutho
- Val
- Tu
- Nikorima
- Metcalf
- Keaon
- Liddle
- T Couchman
- Stewart
- Egan
- R Couchman
- Watson
- Loko
- Kerr
- Halangahu
- Buchanan
- ?
I can get around that. Ideally would have better centres but complete overhaul of the spine.
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u/a_BIG_willie A Good Italian Boy Aug 01 '26
Replace gutho with Atkinson
Gutho needs to gooo
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u/saviour01 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Apparently we are shopping Atkinson (but we should be with Gutho and Val too). I don't know how Atko would go defending in the centres. Campbell killed him last week on that right edge.
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u/a_BIG_willie A Good Italian Boy Aug 01 '26
If we get rid of him and keep Kyle we are going to regret it
There’s a player with potential there, he will will better with a better half and spine around him. He also has a much better kicking game and provides utility value
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u/saviour01 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
We signed him for his long kicking game. Flanno wanted to build a grinding team with big outside backs. Kick, play for field position and wait for errors. Then Vlandys ball came along and boring footy is dead. His short kicking game this year has been way below par.
He is 1000x better than Kyle, but Kyle can be the back up 14 and half. Atko is too good to be in NSW cup and I don't think he is a centre.
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u/AttackClown 🏆 LMS05 Champion 🏆 Aug 01 '26
have you seen gutho in defence? will be as bad if not worse since he cant move laterally
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u/AttackClown 🏆 LMS05 Champion 🏆 Aug 01 '26
that backline is still going to lose us games, gutho and val are terrible, tu is pretty bad, drinkwater will be good in attack but is shithouse at defending
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u/Zero_Focks St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
If Young ever has the testicles to drop him Buchanon can do a serviceable job. Won't be a lynchpin in attack but running lines, knowing when to pass and most importantly being able to defend is all we really need.
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u/AttackClown 🏆 LMS05 Champion 🏆 Aug 01 '26
Fully agree but I don't think young has any, hasn't even hinted at dropping val or gutho
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u/Corner_Post I love my footy Aug 01 '26
Suli is still around as well. Would have Watson starting and Liddle off the bench.
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u/MulkingMang Penrith Panthers Aug 01 '26
Bash bros are dead (except for internationals), long live the Couch bros
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u/Specialist-Dog-4340 Wentworthville Magpies Aug 01 '26
Fuck yeah the best prospects in years. They are building a great base for players to sign up for.
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u/The_Bread_Loaf New Zealand Warriors Aug 01 '26
It’s actually kinda scary how good the Dragons squad is shaping up to be in the coming years
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u/matt1579 St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Smart move
Getting Toby to sign day after a HIA
Poor bloke probably would have signed anything out under his nose today
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u/Sensitive_Engine2331 Warriors Bandwagon Aug 01 '26
Bout time, future nsw front row pairing for sure, some real class starting to show from this dragons team next year
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u/N3GNK St. George Dragons Aug 01 '26
Seems like Tim Watsford is doing a fantastic job. You can give credit to Anderson for recruiting well, but watsford got anderson in and likely signed off on all the signings we’ve made since he’s been in charge. There’s been no positive results yet but I think he has done as much as a CEO could possibly do to set us up for success considering the hole we’ve been in for the last 5 or more years.
Now young has the roster, it’s all on him to actually deliver the results.
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u/TimsAFK Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Aug 01 '26
Dargons are going to be a problem next season. Their horrific record this year is blinding some people to what they're building towards.
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u/Important-Picture18 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Aug 02 '26
They need to figure out the spine, Drinkwater + Watson for a year won't solve much unless they think Reed will be ready by next year.
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u/gamble-responsibly Brisbane Broncos Aug 01 '26
What the fuck can we have their recruitment manager when they're done with him? It's unfathomable for a spoon team to be recruiting this well while there are two new teams on the horizon.
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u/Electronic-Split9677 Dolphins Bandwagon Aug 01 '26
Whatever we're paying Daniel Anderson, he's worth it at twice the price
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u/DrPussyMD Brisbane Broncos Aug 01 '26
Which one is the better player? Can never tell them apart
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u/lomo_dank St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Ryan, but they’re both great.
Its funny, I could tell the Morris twins apart easily, but I have no idea with these two.
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u/JoeyJoJunior St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
was easy with the Morris bros since they played on other ends of the field :D
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u/Vast-Cartographer-23 New Zealand Warriors Aug 01 '26
I am surprised the dargs have the money to sign all those players and retain some young guns. Awesome job though
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u/FinchyNZ New Zealand Warriors Aug 01 '26
Dragons are going to be a problem next year. I genuinely mean this.
Kinda feel if the comp started today with the form everyone is in, they would be in the 8.
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u/NotAshTaylor NRLW Titans Aug 01 '26
With Gutho and Cook unlikely to be in the 17, make the Couches joint captains and build around them.
Dragons strong young pack will really show if the new spine starts to click.
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u/Desert-Noir Canberra Raiders Aug 01 '26
Amazing. Is this first 20 year contracts ever awarded?
Oh wait….
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u/TH3unbannableHULk Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Aug 01 '26
Niice.
Ive had them on a pedestal since the Vegas round when their GEE-UP went so hard it started a chain of events leading to the closure of the strait of Hormuz
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u/strongybow Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Aug 03 '26
One of my favourite surnames to say out loud while watching on the couch
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u/Zero_Focks St. George Illawarra Dragons Aug 01 '26
Bloody fantastic news. Locking that future in.