Townsend: Young Dragons star entitled to look for other NRL opportunities

2016 Premiership winner Chad Townsend has supported the request by Dragons forward Loko Pasifiki Tonga to negotiate with rival clubs.

Despite an 0-6 start to the season and plenty of injuries to their forward stocks, coach Shane Flanagan has been reluctant to play the 20-year-old.

In the Dragons’ 52-12 win over Manly in their most recent NSW Cup match, Pasifiki Tonga ran for 252 metres which included two line breaks and a try.

Given his strong form in reserve grade, Townsend believes Pasifiki Tonga is justified in exploring his options outside of St George Illawarra.

“I’d like to hear from Shane Flanagan as to the reason why (he hasn’t picked Pasifiki Tonga),” Townsend said on SEN 1170.

“What’s the reason that he hasn’t played?

“He has been named in jersey number 21 for this weekend.

“These are the things as a head coach you have to manage. You have to manage the young forward who (has untapped potential).

“Pasifiki Tonga is well within his rights to ask the question ‘If you’re not going to play me, is my future elsewhere?’

“The team isn’t winning games and playing well and (he feels) he can contribute to the team.”

SEN's Mat Rogers has revealed the reasons behind young Dragon Loko Pasifiki Tonga's shock request to negotiate with rival clubs.

Pasifiki Tonga is considered a rising star of the game but is yet to make an appearance in first grade this season, instead playing three games in reserve grade, averaging 179 metres a game.

The 20-year-old made 10 appearances for the Dragons in 2025, but an inability to crack the first-grade squad, and a lack of coaching and direction regarding his future, has contributed to the prop's release request.

Rogers owns Rogers Sports Management, who represent Pasifiki Tonga, however, the forward is not Rogers' direct client.

On Tuesday, Pasifiki Tonga's agent formally asked the Dragons for permission to talk with rival clubs, with Rogers identifying the reasons behind the request.

"He's a tremendous young man," Rogers said on SEN 1170 Sportsday.

"He played 10 games for the Dragons last year. He had a big off-season.

"He came back last week, ran for 250 metres, 70 post contact metres, scored a try.

"They've obviously got an opinion of him that, he's not up to scratch.

"He doesn't feel like he's being developed and I guess we agree.

"It's not a good sign for St George. You've got Jaydn Su'a walking out the door, you've got a young kid who's just totally flabbergasted at the way he's been sort of treated and not coached.

"He doesn't know what to do. That's the problem.

"Whether or not they will (let him go), they might dig their heels in, they've got some more pressing issues in relation to winning games of football.

"There's a very frustrated young man there who's busting his butt and he's playing the house down and scored two tries in the three matches he's played.

"He thinks he deserves an opportunity, and now it's not sour grapes, he just feels like he's not being told what to do.

"I can't get better because I don't know where they want me to work to get better... and there's a team that's 0 and 6, and they won't make a change.

"A player of his stature... in the game, 19-20- years old, 115 kg, 6'5, runs like the wind, I'm sure he'll be on the radar of many other clubs."

Pasifiki Tonga missed time early in the season due to a neck injury suffered at Dragons' training.

The Dragons are yet to win a game after six rounds, making only one forced change this week with Moses Suli ruled out through injury.

Pasifiki Tonga is named in jersey 21 this round.