The National Rugby League (NRL) off-season transfer market has already begun to heat up, with two high-profile forward movements emerging as the 2025 season approaches its midpoint. The Newcastle Knights have pulled off a major long-term recruitment coup, locking in Warriors enforcer Marata Niukore on a three-year contract that will see the 29-year-old move to Newcastle starting in 2027.
Niukore’s rugby league career began in Australia with the Parramatta Eels, where he spent the first five seasons of his top-flight career before making the move to the New Zealand Warriors four years ago. He comes to the Knights off one of his strongest recent performances, having scored a try in the Warriors’ historic drought-breaking victory over the reigning-premier Melbourne Storm last week.
Despite still being in the prime of his career at 29, Niukore opted to make the move to Newcastle after facing a growing logjam of young elite talent in the Warriors’ forward pack. With the New Zealand side boasting one of the most promising youth development systems in the NRL, opportunities for senior players in the coming seasons were projected to become increasingly limited, opening the door for Niukore to seek a fresh start down under.
Knights’ head of recruitment Peter O’Sullivan expressed strong enthusiasm for the signing, noting Niukore’s rare versatility and on-field impact that will add major depth to the club’s future squad. “He is a big athletic body, who can play in the middle or on the edge, with the same level of execution,” O’Sullivan said in a statement confirming the deal. “Marata is one of the top edge defenders in the game and having played a lot of NRL in the centres, he adds genuine skill and versatility to our future stocks. Equally importantly, we know he is a great person, who cares about the club, the community and the teammates he represents, already committing to leaving the jersey in a better position than how he receives it.”
The Knights have built a strong track record of shrewd recruitment in recent seasons: former Canberra Raiders forward Trey Mooney has thrived since making the switch to Newcastle, while five-eighth Dylan Brown was in elite form before a season-ending knee injury cut his 2025 campaign short.
Meanwhile, across the NRL, the St George Illawarra Dragons have confirmed that representative forward Jaydn Su’A will depart the club at the end of the 2025 season. In a statement confirming Su’A’s exit, Dragons chief executive Tim Watsford paid tribute to the forward’s contributions during his tenure with the club. “Jaydn has been an important part of our squad and has made a valued contribution to the club during his time in the Red V,” Watsford said. “We thank Jaydn for his contribution to the Dragons and wish him and his family all the best for the future.”
The former State of Origin forward has quickly emerged as a top target for the Parramatta Eels, who are currently grappling with a worsening injury crisis that has gutted their forward pack. The club has not ruled out pushing for an early mid-season transfer to bring Su’A to the club immediately, rather than waiting for the end of the season. When asked about a potential move, Eels head coach Jason Ryles confirmed the club was exploring all options to reinforce their injury-hit squad. “We do have the ability to do that (sign players now) but that’s something that we’ll have to look at with our recruitment team during the week and the weeks coming,” Ryles said.