Francis Molo’s tumultuous tenure with the St George Illawarra Dragons has reached its conclusion, with the club set to announce that he has been released from the remaining year and a half of his contract following a protracted dispute with team management. This decision, made on March 18, 2025, provides the Dragons with much-needed room in their salary cap in the face of a growing roster dilemma.
Molo’s exit has been anything but smooth, stemming from a two-month-long conflict that began when he opted to abstain from alcohol. The coaching staff’s comments regarding his decision reportedly irked Molo, prompting him to take a leave of absence from team training since early February 2025. Following his ongoing absence, discussions reached a fever pitch during the Dragons’ recent monthly board meeting where directors ultimately decided to agree to his release, but not without costs.
According to sources close to the negotiations, Molo is required to repay a six-figure sum to the club, a move that could set a strong precedent indicating that players should not be allowed to walk away from their contracts unscathed. As noted by The Sydney Morning Herald, the Dragons are seeking to recover funds previously advanced to Molo prior to the fallout. The financial aspects of the settlement reveal that Molo was earning around $550,000 per year for both 2025 and 2026, and this settlement allows the Dragons to effectively clear the majority of his salary from this year's cap while erasing his entire salary from the 2026 cap as well.
The fallout from Molo's situation has left the Dragons in a tricky spot, especially in light of the recent departure of winger Mikaele Ravalawa to South Sydney. Ravalawa’s exit was also strategic, creating opportunities for new signings like David Klemmer, who is expected to strengthen the Dragons’ roster ahead of upcoming matches. Klemmer, set to make his debut against Melbourne after the bye week, was brought in to fill the gap left by Ravalawa, creating further avenues for the Dragons to enhance their forward pack.
Moreover, the Dragons are looking forward to reintegrating other players into their lineup, particularly with Blake Lawrie returning from injury. The additional return of Hame Sele and Tom Eisenhuth is expected soon after the team’s round-three bye, although the prospect of replacing prop Ryan Couchman, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, remains a pressing concern.
While Molo’s departure clears salary cap space and provides an opportunity to fortify the squad, the Dragons also have to manage the implications of this saga on morale and internal relationships within the club. Team officials opted not to comment during this pivotal phase, but the implication that players can no longer abscond from contractual obligations lightly indicates a significant shift in club policy.
As St George Illawarra looks ahead, the need to solidify their forward positions is pressing. With promising young talent in the ranks, such as Loko Junior Pasifika Tonga and Molo’s brother Michael, who remains contracted with the team, deeper roster strategies are in play. The friction that led to Molo’s exit may serve as a cautionary tale about the dynamics of player-team relations in professional sports.
Ultimately, the Dragons find themselves at a crossroads. Molo’s release is not just a story about a disgruntled player resolving issues with a club; it encapsulates the delicate balance between player autonomy and organizational policy in the high-stakes world of professional rugby. As they navigate through these changes, the real test for the management will be how they leverage these opportunities while maintaining a cohesive unit on and off the field.
