St George Illawarra forward Loko Pasifiki Tonga has been cleared of a serious neck injury after he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance following an incident at Thursday's training session.
The Dragons forward was seen on a stretcher and wearing a neck brace, being assisted by paramedics from the training ground at Wollongong's WIN Stadium. There was genuine concern among the Dragons' teammates and coaching staff when Pasifiki Tonga went down during game-specific drills. The player was conscious throughout and communicated with the medical staff at the ground before being taken to the hospital by ambulance.
The incident unfolded just before the 11.30am scheduled weekly media opportunity, attended by the Illawarra Mercury. A club statement confirmed Pasifiki Tonga had avoided major injury after undergoing precautionary scans. "The Dragons can confirm that following scans, Loko Pasifiki Tonga has been cleared of any major neck injury concerns and returned to the Dragons training facility this afternoon," the statement read.
He will be monitored by our medical staff over the coming days before a determination is made on his availability to play this weekend. While Pasifiki Tonga has been cleared of a serious injury, it's unlikely he will play in Sunday's game against the Parramatta Eels.
The 20-year-old Auckland-born prop has emerged as one of the Wollongong-based club's brightest prospects. In Round 10 2025, Pasifiki Tonga made his NRL debut for the Dragons against the New Zealand Warriors, coming off the bench in a 15-14 loss at WIN Stadium. Pasifiki Tonga has made a total of 10 NRL appearances and is contracted to the club until the end of the 2027 season.
The 20-year-old's pathway through junior ranks has been notable. Coming through Pacific-rich pathways such as the Bankstown Bulls and Chester Hill Hornets before moving into the Dragons system, he has consistently spoken about representing his heritage with pride. Tonga joined the club in 2023 off the back of an NRL Schoolboy Cup title with Ipswich State High School earning an Australian Schoolboys jumper the same year. He won an SG Ball Premiership with St George and an Under-19s State of Origin with NSW in 2024, finishing the season in Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
Dragons Head Coach Shane Flanagan said, "We're really excited to have locked Loko down for two more years. He's big and mobile but he also does all the little things well. He's got a good attitude, he trains hard and he's a very focused individual."