The St George Illawarra Dragons have made strides towards securing Scott Drinkwater, presenting him with a three-year contract to join their ranks in Wollongong.
Following the Cowboys granting Drinkwater permission to explore opportunities with other clubs, the Daily Telegraph reports that a lucrative million-dollar yearly deal has been put on the table. Other teams such as the Bears, Bulldogs, Sharks, and Wests Tigers have also expressed interest in his talents.
However, the Dragons appear to be the sole club to submit an official bid, viewing Drinkwater as a key player to eventually succeed Clint Gutherson at fullback.
Before committing, Drinkwater and his management seek clarity regarding the team's future, particularly concerning the forward pack and halves combination. Manager Chris Orr emphasized the importance of having a clear roadmap, stating, "The Dragons tabled an offer to us (on Tuesday night) and we will try and organise a meeting next week."
Orr continued, "It's a really good three-year offer from the Dragons and we are looking at what that looks like for Scott."
"He will look at the offer seriously. We will continue talks next week, my attitude is we talk business from Monday to Wednesday and then after that I let the player focus on his team and the game ahead."
He further added, "It's going to be hard for a player to go to any club if they don't know the coach, the halves and the forward structure."
Orr concluded, "I'd like to think 'Drinky' will accept the Dragons deal. But he also has to know who his coach is, who's the halfback, what's the playing roster look like."