Shane Flanagan's second term in charge of St George Illawarra ended in more disappointment as they were consigned to the bottom four of the ladder.
The Dragons had a slow start to the campaign and never truly recovered as they were always behind the eight-ball after a busy off-season that saw the coach bring in the likes of Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook.
Despite being able to call upon a more experienced core of players, the Red V were plagued by injuries and slid out of contention for finals during a particuarly poor second half of the season for the second consecutive year.
MORE: AllSportsPeople' NRL team of the year selections feature James Tedesco and Isaiya Katoa.
Dragons departures in 2025?
The Dragons lost several important members of their forward pack during an injury-plagued year.
Francis Molo was the first forward to depart the club after he angled for an early release following a pre-season bust-up with a member of staff.
Tom Eisenhuth was picked at lock throughout Shane Flanagan's first term at the Red V in 2024, but didn't see any action this year before he eventually retired from the game.
Meanwhile, Jack de Belin's 13-year tenure at the Red V has come to an end, with the veteran leaving to join Parramatta in 2026.
Fellow veteran David Klemmer has joined him in the departure lounge after accepting an offer from St Helens.
St George Illawarra departures revealed
| Player | New club |
|---|---|
| Corey Ackers | - |
| Corey Allen | - |
| Jack de Belin | Parramatta Eels |
| Tom Eisenhuth | Retired |
| Viliame Fifita | - |
| Sione Finau | Canberra Raiders |
| Jonah Glover | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Lachlan Ilias | Gold Coast Titans |
| David Klemmer | St Helens |
| Finau Latu | Canterbury Bulldogs |
| Raymond Faitala-Mariner | - |
| Ben Murdoch-Masila | Retired |
| Francis Molo | Dolphins |
| Michael Molo | - |
| Cody Ramsey | Sydney Roosters |
| Mikaele Ravalawa | Castleford Tigers |
Dragons 2026 signings?
- Daniel Atkinson (St George Illawarra Dragons)
- David Fale (Penrith Panthers)
- Josh Kerr (Dolphins)
Dragons' next season re-signings?
The Red V have thrown their faith into their emerging talent, with Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Ryan Couchman, Toby Couchman, Dylan Egan, Jacob Halangahu and Hamish Stewart secured long-term.
Lyhkan King-Togia, Kyle Flanagan and Jacob Liddle established themselves as key players in the spine in 2025 and were rewarded with new contracts.
Meanwhile, Christian Tuipulotu was one of a few backline players to land another deal as Nathan Lawson and Nick Tsougranis were also extended.