David Fale believes he’s found the right place to unlock his potential, with the 20-year-old winger confirming his switch from Penrith to the St George Illawarra Dragons on a two-year deal.
After making his NRL debut for the Panthers in Round 26 against Canterbury, Fale’s move comes just weeks after he entered a cooling-off period with the club. The rising outside back, who impressed in his limited senior minutes, said the Dragons’ offer of a genuine first-grade opportunity made the decision straightforward.
“Signed on Tuesday, I’m pretty excited,” Fale told Zero Tackle. “They want me to come in and fight for that wing spot next year, and obviously just build from there. Hopefully, the year after they want me to be a regular; but for me, I want to [be a regular] next year, and make that wing spot mine.”
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Fresh start after a steep learning curve
Fale admitted that breaking through at Penrith was always going to be difficult, given the club’s elite depth in the outside backs. “[Shane Flanagan] has given me the confidence that I can come in and make either wing spot mine,” he said. “That made me a bit more confident to sign the deal.”
The Auckland-born speedster, who previously had stints with the Broncos and Raiders before joining Penrith’s system, sees the Dragons as the ideal stage to prove himself.
“I asked Penrith for a release, and they were happy for me to go and seek better opportunity,” he added.