St George Illawarra Dragons have defended their handling of Cody Ramsey’s departure to Sydney Roosters, insisting the club did everything possible to keep the young gun.
Ramsey, 23, on Wednesday night requested a release from the final two years of his Dragons contract, with the Roosters understood to be his preferred destination.
The move comes after a frustrating two seasons for the former Canberra Raiders junior, who has been plagued by injury since making his NRL debut in 2021.
Dragons director of football Ben Haran said the club was disappointed but understood Ramsey’s position.
“We’ve loved having Cody here and he’s a tremendous talent,” Haran said.
“But at the end of the day, it’s his career and his decision. We respect that.
“We did everything we could to make it work here – from a playing perspective, a medical perspective, everything.
“It just wasn’t to be.”
Ramsey has played just 13 first-grade games in three seasons with the Dragons, the last coming in round 11 of 2023 before a season-ending knee injury.
He returned via NSW Cup this year but struggled to force his way back into the NRL side.
The Roosters, who have a vacancy in their backline following Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i’s move to rugby union, are reportedly willing to offer Ramsey a three-year deal worth around $600,000 a season.
Haran said discussions with Ramsey’s management were ongoing but the club would not stand in the player’s way if a deal could be struck.
“We’re open to facilitating a trade if it makes sense for all parties,” he said.
“We wish Cody all the best. He’s a great kid and we hope he gets back to his best.”
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan echoed Haran’s sentiments, praising Ramsey’s work ethic despite his injury woes.
“Cody’s trained unbelievably hard to get back,” Flanagan said.
“Unfortunately, footy doesn’t always go your way. But he’s got a bright future ahead.”
The news is a blow for the Dragons, who are already rebuilding their backline after losing Zac Lomax to Parramatta Eels earlier this year.
Ramsey’s exit could pave the way for younger players like Sione Finau and Tyrell Sloan to cement their spots.
Meanwhile, the Roosters are set to bolster their squad with Ramsey’s addition, joining the likes of Dominic Young and Robert Toia in a revamped attack under new coach Jason Demetriou.
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