Jeral Skelton leaving Canterbury to join West Tigers as Valentine Holmes leaves Cowboys for St George Illawarra Dragons

The Wests Tigers have signed up-and-coming Canterbury winger Jeral Skelton to a two-year deal that begins next year.

Skelton had shown promise with his fierce running game across six matches to date but found himself stuck behind Josh Addo-Carr and Jacob Kiraz for opportunities on the wing at the Bulldogs.

The signing is a boost for a Tigers outfit whose lack of depth in the outside backs has been exposed in a 2024 season hampered by injuries and suspensions.

The cellar-dwelling Tigers focus is on a much improved season in 2025 centred around star signing Jarome Luai.

“I think this is a great opportunity for me, and I’m really happy with this decision,” Skelton said.

“I think Wests Tigers are a club with a very bright future, and to be a part of that is so exciting.

“Obviously I want to finish this season strongly with my current teammates, but I look forward to meeting my new teammates in pre-season.”

Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall was pleased with the acquisition.

“We are excited to welcome Jeral and his family to our club for the next two seasons,” said Marshall.

“We love what he brings on the field and the person he is off the field, and we look forward to having him with us in 2025.”

Skelton’s signing comes as State of Origin representative Valentine Holmes closes in on a deal to join St George Illawarra as a replacement for the outgoing Zac Lomax.

North Queensland granted Holmes permission to negotiate with rivals for 2025 and he is set to be released from the final year of his lucrative deal.

AAP understands Holmes has not yet put pen to paper with the Dragons, but that the club left contract talks this week confident a deal could be finalised.

The proposed contract would reunite Holmes with coach Shane Flanagan, with whom he won the drought-breaking 2016 premiership at Cronulla.

In his first season at the helm, Flanagan has hoisted the Dragons to within an inch of a top-eight berth with largely the same roster that finished 16th last season.

But the coach now has South Sydney veteran Damien Cook and potentially Holmes to help continue his rebuild from 2025.

The 29-year-old Holmes could join Jack Bird as one of two members of the storied 2016 Sharks side on the books at the Dragons, though Bird has been given permission to look elsewhere for 2025.

Holmes shapes as a like-for-like replacement for outgoing Lomax as a goal-kicking outside back, after the club reluctantly released him to join Parramatta from next season.

Lomax’s departure leaves the Dragons short of an aerial threat and attacking weapon after the 24-year-old forged a fruitful combination with Ben Hunt on a move to the right wing this year.

Although Holmes has played centre in recent times, he could also be an option at fullback following an inconsistent season from Tyrell Sloan, briefly dropped to reserve grade last month.

Holmes played wing in the Sharks’ drought-breaking 2016 triumph before leaving to forge an NFL career in 2019, playing pre-season games with the New York Jets.

He has played the past five seasons at the Cowboys but is enduring a lukewarm 2024 season despite the Cowboys’ return to top-eight calculations.

Holmes was nevertheless selected in all three games of Queensland’s Origin series loss.

Wests Tigers have signed up-and-coming Canterbury winger Jeral Skelton to a two-year deal that begins next year.

Skelton had shown promise with his fierce running game across six matches to date but found himself stuck behind Josh Addo-Carr and Jacob Kiraz for opportunities on the wing at the Bulldogs.

The signing is a boost for a Tigers outfit whose lack of depth in the outside backs has been exposed in a 2024 season hampered by injuries and suspensions.