THE DRAGONS have confirmed media reports that the club has released young-gun Jason Saab despite having two more years to run on his contract.
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Saab was a no-show at training last week, while his management have been agitating for a release to link with Manly on a three-year deal, citing the commute to Wollongong from his home in Merrylands.
It initially left the Dragons baffled given the similar - if not longer - commute to the Sea Eagles training base at Narrabeen, with the club refusing to release the 20-year-old without compensation.
General manager of football Ben Haran said on Friday that the club had agreed to release Saab for an undisclosed fee, leaving four spots remaining on the club's top 30 for next season.
"A big focus for the Dragons on the recruitment and retention front is that our players, whether they're already here or are signed by the club, are 100 per cent committed to representing this proud organisation," Haran said.
"We don't want to retain or sign players for the sake of it. We want to ensure that each player who walks through our gates every day is the right fit for the Dragons, especially during a period where so much change is afoot."