The North Queensland Cowboys loss is the St George Illawarra Dragons’ gain, with the fullback to don the Red V for three years from 2o27.
Drinkwater, who debuted for the Cowboys in 2019, has since played 151 NRL games to date with the club and claimed two Paul Bowman medals.
As much as the Cowboys wanted to keep Drinkwater, the offer the Dragons put forth was one they were unwilling to match.
“Scott has been not just a valued member of our club, but a wonderful member of the North Queensland community since he arrived eight years ago,” Cowboys Football Club CEO Micheal Luck said.
“Scott received a long-term offer from another club, which we were not in the position to match. He remains an integral member of our squad for the remainder of the 2026 season.”
Drinkwater, a player full of excitement, raw ability and a game-changing knack, can change games and he is excited to join the club next year.
“I’m really looking forward to joining the Dragons and being part of what the club is building… You can see the young talent from the area making its way through the ranks,” Drinkwater said.
“I look forward to finishing strong at the Cowboys this year and then arriving at the Dragons for 2027 to do everything I can to contribute to the team’s success.”