The Dragons have released a statement about recruit Corey Norman

NRL star Corey Norman and Wallabies veteran Kurtley Beale are pictured in an illicit video that emerged on Monday that shows a man snorting a white powdered substance. The St George Illawarra Dragons confirmed they had investigated a leaked video featuring star new recruit Norman. The video shows an elderly man snorting white powder off a plate before the camera pans to Norman, who says: “That’s the young blood right there baby. Get it baby, get it.” After Norman is pictured, the camera then shows star Wallaby Kurtley Beale sitting on a couch.

The Dragons then released a statement on Monday night, saying they’d been in touch with the league’s integrity unit earlier in the day. “The St George Illawarra Dragons have been made aware of a video circulating on social media of Corey Norman from several years ago,” the statement read “The Dragons informed the NRL Integrity Unit on Monday afternoon. The Integrity Unit have since confirmed they have previously been made aware of the footage and dealt with it accordingly at the time. “The club will make no further comment.” The Wallabies have yet to make a statement on Beale. Norman has been caught up in several off-field controversies in the past. Norman in December left Parramatta after 106 games for the club and signed a three-year deal with the Dragons.

Corey Norman to finally join Dragons after stalled negotiations

The Parramatta and Corey Norman financial dispute is understood to have been settled, with Norman set to be officially released to join the St George Illawarra Dragons immediately. Norman, 27, was contracted to the Eels until the end of the 2019, but had already farewelled his Eels teammates and was expected to sign with the Dragons last week. But a dispute in payments from the Eels nearly derailed the deal, with the five-eighth threatened to stay on at Parramatta until his next pay cycle on January 4 to claim the additional funds before moving on. The amount was believed to be worth $20,000.

It is understood the Dragons will pay Norman $500,000 next season with a top up salary from Parramatta believed to be around $300,000. Norman was expected to make $900,000 in 2019, therefore he is taking a $100,000 pay cut to join a club that want him. The Dragons will then pay Norman $800,000 over the final two years of his 3-year deal. The Saints will then fork out $1.6 million over the final two years of Norman’s deal. Norman played 107 matches for the Eels after arriving in 2014, leading them to the finals in 2017 before a hugely disappointing 2018 campaign.

Dragons set to complete jigsaw with Corey Norman signing

The final piece in St George Illawarra's 2019 team jigsaw will soon be in place with a Dragons deal believed to be imminent for Parramatta playmaker Corey Norman. St George Illawarra announced on Thursday they had re-signed NSW back-rower Tariq Sims for three more seasons and thrown an NRL lifeline to ex-Brisbane flyer Lachlan Maranta. But another coup
is set to be announced as early as Friday with Norman poised to link with the Dragons on a three-year deal. Norman, 28, is believed to have secured a release from the final year of his Eels contract on Thursday. Norman's manager Paul Sutton is overseas but is expected to finalise a Dragons deal by week's end. Eels five-eighth Norman is expected to move to fullback for St George Illawarra, throwing the future of Dragons No.1 Matt Dufty - who only recently re-signed until the end of 2019 - in limbo.