The St George Illawarra Dragons are pleased to announce the appointment of the four coaches who will continue the development of the Club’s Junior Representative players in 2017.
The Illawarra Steelers Junior Representative Harold Matthews Cup (U16) team will be coached by Ben Linde whilst the SG Ball (U18) team will again be overseen by Shane Millard.
Linde, a former representative player with Illawarra, has an impressive coaching record at both a club and Country Championship level and was Assistant Coach to Adam Blake with this season’s Illawarra Steelers Harold Matthews Cup team.
Millard, a former Dragons player who also featured for the Sydney Roosters, Wests Magpies and South Sydney Rabbitohs, as well as several UK Super League teams, has successfully coached the Illawarra Steelers SG Ball Cup team for three seasons, culminating in a 2016 Grand Final appearance against the Penrith Panthers.
Of special note, Graeme Wynn is to retire as the St George Dragons Harold Matthews coach after eight years of quality service.
Wynn will maintain his long involvement with the Club and will assume a St George Dragons Coordinator’s role, working with Dragons Director of Rugby League Pathways Ian Millward and Dragons Recruitment Manager Dave Warwick, and will oversee aspects of St George Dragons coaching and recruitment.
Consequently, the St George Dragons Junior Representative Harold Matthews Cup (U16) team will be coached by Brendon Perenara whilst the SG Ball (U18) team will be coached by Patrick Gibson following their respective appointments.
Perenara currently holds the National Coaching role with Niue as well as coaching the Penshurst RSL U15 in the local St George District JRL competition.
Gibson is a former Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks player who currently works with the Dragons National Youth Competition team.
The appointment of support staff for all four Junior Representative teams is continuing.
