Dragons Pathways Wrap: Rd 1

Willie Talau’s under-19s squad pulled off a thrilling, last-ditch win over last year’s semi-finalists the Panthers in sweltering conditions at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

An early Jesse Williams double down the left flank got the Red V off to a sizzling start before skipper Shadi Hammoud broke into the backfield from inside his own half to send David Afu over to make it 16-0 just 22 minutes in.

The tide turned back the way of the hosts just shy of the break with Hokafonu Lemoto powering his way over under the sticks and fullback Jaxen Edgar finishing off a break back up the middle to cut the Dragons' edge to four heading into halftime.

Panthers skipper Jack Ewer earned the hosts their first lead of the contest on the other side of the break before Edgar grabbed his second 47 minutes in to extend the Panthers' lead beyond a converted try.

Dragons winger Zac Nachar reeled in a Brandon Tikinau cut-out and wrongfooted his opposite to dive over in the corner and drag the visitors back into it entering the final quarter of the outing.

Despite numerous raids being thwarted in the dying stages, Talau’s squad remained unperturbed and managed to crack the Panthers line in the final minute courtesy of a perfectly timed link-up between lock Finau Latu and Hammoud who sliced through to tie it at 24-apiece.

Hammoud converted his own try after the siren to seal a 26-24 win – the Dragons’ first over the Panthers since the turn of the century.

The Steelers ushered in Shaun Timmins’ coaching tenure with a 26-12 win over the Rabbitohs on Saturday at Collegians.

Front rower Jason Hallie got the visitors on the board first before the Steelers answered just short of halftime via centre Hayden Buchanan who snared a Lyhkan King-Togia offload whilst attacking a scrambling Rabbitohs line.

Setefano Sele joined his front row partner on the scoresheet on the other side of the break to put the Rabbitohs back ahead before the hosts took control of it in the final 25.

Captain Daniel Meafou burrowed his way over from acting half to cut the deficit to four before second rower Jarrah Treweek muscled his way over down the left edge to give the Steelers their first lead of the encounter.

Clinical No.7 Kade Reed slipped his way over and converted his own try to extend the Steelers advantage beyond a converted try entering the final 10 minutes before Isaac Laughton finished off a nice exchange of passing up the middle to put a cherry on top of the afternoon for Timmins’ outfit.

TARSHA GALE CUP

The Dragons Tarsha Gale Cup group endured a tough start to the year with the Panthers running out 40-0 winners at BlueBet Stadium.

A trio of Panthers tries in the opening 12 minutes had the visitors on the back foot early and they were unable to recover with Panthers captain Jaida Staben crossing 45 minutes in to make it 36-0 and front rower Taylor Keppie scoring to seal it late.

It was an impressive start to the season for the Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup squad with the side running out six tries to three winners over the Rabbitohs at Collegians.

The two sides traded blows early with the visitors crossing first only for Steelers five-eighth Evie McGrath to slash through off an attacking scrum and come up with the answer.

Lotomau Sagigi jostled her way to the line in the left corner soon after for the Rabbitohs before a pair of Steelers tries – one courtesy of scheming No.9 Chelsea Savill and the other through centre Mia-Rose Walsh – made it 14-8 the way of the hosts heading into the sheds.

A striding Teagan Smede powered her way over early in the second half to improve the Steelers lead to a dozen but the Rabbitohs refused to surrender with back rower Abbie Ritchie pushing her way over for her second not long after.

Halfback and captain Kasey Reh took in a Smede offload and stepped her way to the tryline to earn the hosts a 12-point buffer before a late Maria Paseka try sealed a 30-12 win for Courtney Crawford’s Steelers.

HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP

It was a tough outing for the Dragons Harold Matthews Cup unit who went down to last year’s semi-finalists the Panthers 44-4 at the foot of the mountains.

A pair of early tries earned the hosts a 12-0 advantage before Dragons centre Lucas Golovodovski finished off a classy scrum play to answer for the Red V.

A Jhett Sydir four-pointer on the other side of the halftime siren extended the lead before a series of tries in the final 10 minutes put the icing on the cake for the Panthers.

The Steelers Harold Matthews Cup squad were unable to build on a competitive opening half going down to the Rabbitohs 52-6 at Collegians on Saturday.

The visitors got on the board first before Steelers fullback Jack Talbott jumped into acting half from 35 metres out, swerved his way through the defensive live, and sped past the fullback to snag a phenomenal individual try and propel his side to an early lead.

Tony Fakahau crossed for the Rabbitohs just before halftime to lay the platform for a dominant second half for the visitors.

Darcy Feltham snagged a hat-trick and Tanner Mahon a double as the Rabbitohs came up with a victory to open their 2024 campaign.

LISA FIAOLA CUP

A hat-trick courtesy of Panthers centre Hannah Ison proved too much to overcome for the Dragons Lisa Fiaola Cup side who went down 36-0 in Penrith.

Ison opened her account in the seventh minute before Fatafehi-Marie Mahe and Jade Elford joined her on the scoresheet prior to the break.

Elford grabbed a second to open the second stanza before Ison grabbed two more of her own late.

The Steelers Lisa Fiaola Cup group opened their campaign with a key 14-12 win over the Rabbitohs thanks to a second-half Maddalyn Bullock penalty goal.

It took just four minutes for centre Kirrawahn Duckett to get the visitors on the board before Steelers halfback Ella Greatz answered soon after.

The contest’s back-and-forth nature continued with Rabbitohs winger Lani Anderson crossing 13 minutes in only for the hosts to answer through No.9 Tori Shipton to tie it at a dozen heading into the break.

Bullock slotted what would prove a crucial two points entering the final 20 minutes with the Steelers holding on for a hard-fought win on their home turf.

LAURIE DALEY CUP

The ISC Dragons kicked off their title defence with a dominant 48-6 win over the Riverina Bulls in Shellharbour on Sunday behind doubles to five-eighth Aaymon Fitzgibbon and second rower Dreau Clark.

It took just three minutes for Fitzgibbon to get the hosts on the board before Clark grabbed a pair of tries prior to the break to make it 14-0.

The Steelers picked up where they left off on the other side of the break with fullback Josiah Clifford and halfback Levi Valesini scoring back-to-back before winger Finnley Egan joined them on the scoresheet soon after.

Fitzgibbon grabbed his second in the 53rd minute before forwards Jackson Smith and Taj Roberts grabbed late tries as the ISC Dragons marched towards a 42-point win.

ANDREW JOHNS CUP

The ISC Dragons Andrew Johns Cup side fell just short of an opening round win with the Riverina Bulls running out 24-18 victors on Sunday.

Back rowers Finn Davy and Jordan Barlow both crossed for the hosts in the opening seven minutes before the Bulls scored a pair of tries late in the first half to tie it at 12-all heading into halftime.

Harry Boxsell scored to give the visitors their first lead of the clash early in the second half before a try to ISC Dragons fullback Jaxon Ballinger tied it at 18-apiece with 15 minutes to play.

Bulls centre Isaiah Pulleine came up with a try late to win it for the visitors.