NRL 2023: Moses Souley Talks St George Illawarra Dragons Trade Deal, William Fifite, Alec Tuitawake, Manly Sea Eagles, Aaron Woods

Dragons star Moses Souley revealed that the club’s latest young recruit, Viliami Fifita, didn’t want to leave Manley to join the Wollongong team.

Souley admitted he felt the same way before leaving the Sea Eagles to join St. George’s Illawarra ahead of the 2022 season.

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But the deal went through, and since then Suli has flourished as one of the Dragons’ best and most important players.

The 24-year-old supported Fifita, who joined the club on Tuesday after The swap deal that sent veteran Aaron Woods to Manlyfollow in his footsteps.

The Dragons traded Woods for 22-year-old Fifita and Alec Tuitawake.

Fifita was added to the Dragons top 30 and signed a contract that will keep him at the club until 2025, while Tuitawaque has signed a two-year deal and will spend 2023 on a development contract before being promoted the following year.

The exchange left some experts baffled, but Souley provided additional context when asked about Fifita’s arrival on Tuesday.

The pair are managed by Mario Tartak and Souli revealed that, like himself before the 2022 season, Fifita is not keen on joining the Dragons.

“We have the same manager and (Tartak) let me know that (Fifita) wanted to come here and from what my manager said, (Fifita) didn’t want to come, he liked it there in Manly” . Sully said.

“But yes, I was also in the same situation, I didn’t want to come here, but I have to do what is best for me and what is best for my football and he will come to do the same.

“I hope he comes and tries and hopefully he does well.”

foxsports.com.au contacted Tartak to clarify Souley’s comments and he explained that the Western Sydney product was talking about getting out of his comfort zone.

Tartak stressed that Souley’s comments were about leaving Sydney, his family and friends, and not about hitting the Dragons.

Originally published as ‘I didn’t want to come here either’: Moses Souley’s surprise confession in Dragons