Tyrell Sloan has promised he will return to the NRL as leading rugby league figures question why a 24-year-old with his speed and attacking talent is being allowed to leave for the Super League.
The departing St George Illawarra utility produced a dramatic farewell in the Dragons’ final match of the 2026 season, kicking a two-point field goal in the 74th minute to secure a 24-22 victory over Parramatta at WIN Stadium.
Sloan also scored earlier in the match before delivering the decisive kick from beyond 40 metres.
It was an extraordinary way to finish his career at the club he progressed through as a junior, but it also intensified the debate surrounding the Dragons’ decision not to offer him another contract.
Sloan has agreed to join Castleford Tigers from 2027 alongside Dragons teammates Damien Cook and Mathew Feagai.
However, the sudden departure of former Castleford coach Ryan Carr—the man who played an important role in recruiting the trio—has created fresh uncertainty surrounding Sloan’s move.
Former Queensland captain Gorden Tallis believes an NRL club should intervene.
“He is too good to leave the NRL,” Tallis said on Fox League’s NRL 360, as reported by Fox Sports.
Sloan appears to share that belief.
“I don’t reckon it’ll be the last time you see me in the NRL,” he told ESPN.
“I’ll definitely be back.
“Regardless of what jersey I put on, I’ll always have the Red V at heart.”
Dragons Could Still Regret Letting Sloan Leave
St George Illawarra’s decision is understandable when viewed through the structure of its 2027 roster.
The Dragons have recruited Scott Drinkwater to become their long-term fullback, while Clint Gutherson remains contracted for another season.
Sloan has repeatedly stated that fullback is his preferred position, but he was unable to establish himself permanently in the No.1 jersey under the club’s previous coaching staff.
He made only nine NRL appearances during the 2026 regular season and was used at fullback, wing, centre and from the interchange bench.
That positional uncertainty ultimately damaged his chances of earning another contract.
The Dragons have undergone an enormous roster rebuild after finishing with the wooden spoon, adding Drinkwater, Luke Metcalf, Keaon Koloamatangi, Phil Sami, Kodi Nikorima and Daniel Atkinson.
Keeping Sloan without a clearly defined role would have created another selection problem.
But that does not mean allowing him to leave was necessarily the correct decision.
Sloan has scored 52 tries in 88 NRL appearances. His defensive positioning and involvement have attracted criticism throughout his career, but his attacking numbers demonstrate a rare ability to turn limited space into points.
Players with that speed are difficult to replace.
The concern for St George Illawarra is that Sloan could mature in England, improve the weaker areas of his game and return to Australia as a far more complete player.
Carr’s Departure Changes the Castleford Equation
Sloan’s relationship with Ryan Carr was a significant factor in his decision to join Castleford.
Carr previously worked at the Dragons as an assistant coach and reportedly offered Sloan a pathway to play regular football in his preferred position.
However, Castleford confirmed in August that Carr would not return to his position for personal reasons.
The club endured an extremely difficult season under the Australian coach, winning seven of his 21 Super League matches before his departure.
Losing Carr removed one of the central reasons Sloan, Cook and Feagai initially committed to the Tigers.
NRL 360 journalist David Riccio suggested the situation could create an opening for Sloan to reconsider his future if the Dragons unexpectedly found room on their roster.
“At this stage he’s on the plane because the Dragons don’t have a roster spot for him,” Riccio said.
“Now, if there’s wriggle room and maybe a player goes, then suddenly it’s back on.
“They’d keep him in a heartbeat.”
That possibility should be treated cautiously.
Castleford owner Martin Jepson said after Carr’s departure that Sloan, Cook and Feagai were finalising their moves and looking forward to joining the club, according to Total Rugby League.
There has been no official announcement that Sloan has requested a release or that the Dragons have offered him a new contract.
The coaching change creates uncertainty, but it does not automatically cancel his two-year Castleford agreement.
Sloan’s Farewell Proved Why Clubs Should Be Interested
Sloan’s final performance displayed the traits that make him such an intriguing recruitment option.
He accelerated onto a Lyhkan King-Togia kick to score the Dragons’ opening try before producing the decisive field goal late in the contest.
The kick arrived while St George Illawarra was reduced to 12 players following Blake Lawrie’s sin-binning.
It required confidence, composure and the willingness to take responsibility with the match on the line.
The Dragons described the kick as a “miracle two-point field goal” that gave the club its first victory at WIN Stadium in 400 days.
One spectacular performance does not erase the defensive and consistency questions that have followed Sloan.
It does, however, demonstrate why Tallis believes another NRL club should take the chance.
Sloan is not an aging player accepting a final contract overseas. He is entering what should be the most productive period of his career.
Paul Crawley compared his development timeline with Cody Walker, who did not establish himself as an NRL star until considerably later.
“He’s only 24—and I was thinking on the weekend, a guy like Cody Walker didn’t reach his best until 27 or 28,” Crawley said.
That comparison does not guarantee Sloan will follow the same trajectory.
It reinforces the danger of deciding too early that his weaknesses cannot be corrected.
Which NRL Clubs Could Use Him?
The strongest argument for signing Sloan is not necessarily that he should immediately become another club’s starting fullback.
His versatility and attacking ability could make him valuable as a winger, bench utility or fullback competing for a position.
A club would need to accept that Sloan is not a conventional defensive utility. His value lies in what he can create when introduced against tiring defenders or given space on an edge.
The Gold Coast, Newcastle and even Parramatta could examine their outside-back depth, although no confirmed offer from those clubs has been reported.
Any suggestion of a destination therefore remains speculative.
The larger question is whether an NRL club considers his attacking ceiling worth the development required to improve his defence, positioning and week-to-week consistency.
Castleford has already made that commitment.
The Super League could give Sloan the regular starting role he has struggled to secure in Australia, while its more open attacking style may suit his acceleration and broken-field running.
A successful period in England may ultimately be better for his career than another season spent moving between positions or playing reserve grade in the NRL.
Super League Move Could Rebuild Sloan’s Career
Leaving the NRL should not automatically be viewed as a demotion.
Several Australian players have used the Super League to rebuild their confidence, accept greater responsibility and return as more complete footballers.
Sloan will have an opportunity to become a central part of Castleford’s attack rather than competing for limited touches behind established stars.
Playing regularly at fullback would force him to improve his defensive organisation, communication and positional awareness—the precise areas that have prevented him from securing a permanent NRL role.
Castleford will also provide familiar support through Cook and Feagai, reducing the difficulty of relocating to England.
The move carries risk following Carr’s departure and the Tigers’ poor season.
It also offers something the Dragons could not promise: a genuine opportunity to establish himself in one position.
Dragons Made a Defensible Decision—but It Could Still Hurt
St George Illawarra cannot retain every talented player during a major rebuild.
Drinkwater’s arrival effectively closed the most obvious pathway for Sloan, while the club needed to prioritise positions of greater urgency after finishing last.
Releasing him was therefore a defensible roster decision.
But it was not without danger.
Sloan is still young, possesses game-breaking speed and has already demonstrated an ability to score tries at a rate many outside backs never approach.
If he develops into a reliable defensive fullback in England, the Dragons may eventually watch another NRL club benefit from the work Castleford completed.
Tallis may be right that Sloan is too talented to leave the competition.
Yet spending two seasons in a team willing to make him central to its plans could be exactly what allows him to return and prove it.
Sloan believes his NRL career is not over.
His farewell field goal ensured clubs will remember precisely what he can do while he is away.
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