Queensland State of Origins star joins Dragons on $2.5m deal

One of the best centres in the NRL will have a new home next season. Queensland and Cowboys star Valentine Holmes has agreed to join St. George Illawarra Dragons on a three-year contract starting in the 2025 season. The overall deal is reportedly worth $2.5m.  

Star centre swaps teams 

Valentine Holmes joined North Queensland ahead of the 2020 NRL season. In his four years at the club, the Cowboys star has been one of the best centres in the league.  
 
It’s not all been good though. Holmes was investigated by the NRL Integrity Unit and his club last season after posting a photo of himself with a bag of white powder between his teeth. He was issued a breach notice by the league.  
 
Holmes has kept his nose clean this season, but the writing was on the wall that it could be his last with North Queensland.  
 
While they have good odds with the betting sites to qualify for the finals series, the Cowboys look set to rebuild their squad this closed season. That means they need to let stars go.  
 
North Queensland have granted Holmes an early release from his contract so that he can get a fresh start on his career next season with Dragons.  

Dragons get their star 

Ever since Shane Flanagan took over at the Jubilee Stadium last year, the Dragons have been on the look out for a star to build around. So far, they have struck out.  
 
Dragons have missed out on signing Sharks’ Addin Fonua-Blake, the Cowboys’ Tom Dearden, and Jack Welsby from Super League side St Helens. The club also reportedly made a big push for Joey Manu before he agreed to change codes and signed for Toyota Verblitz in Japan.  
 
After missing out on so many signings, Flanagan told the press at the start of this season that he was “disappointed” by the club’s lack of signings. However, he added that “there will be options over the next 12 months.” In the end, the veteran coach was proven to be very right.  
 
With Valentine Holmes coming in now though, the Dragons seem to have finally got their man.  
 
Holmes played under Dragons boss Shane Flanagan when the 58-year-old was Cronulla Sharks coach. Their previous partnership was incredibly successful. Holmes was the Sharks’ highest try scorer during their miraculous Premiership winning campaign in 2016.  

Big expectations for 2025 

St. George Illawarra Dragons have defied all expectations this season.  
 
Almost everyone in the sports betting industry, including some of us here at BettingTop10, expected the Dragons to finish close to the bottom of the league. Instead, St. George Illawarra is just two points out of eighth place heading into NRL Round 24. 

There’s still a lot of things that can happen between now and the start of the 2025 season. But, with a player like Valentine Holmes coming in, Dragons are sure to be strong contenders for the finals series next season.