Dragons standouts rewarded with international call-ups

Author: Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp: Mon 7 Oct 2024, 12:56 PM

A host of Dragons have been rewarded with international call-ups for the Pacific Championships kicking off later this month.

Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax have been named in the Kangaroos squad with Moses Suli and Maatuleio Fotu-Moala set for Tonga call-ups.

Tyla King, Alexis Tauaneai, and Angelina Teakaaranga-Katoa have been named in the Kiwi Ferns squad whilst Francis Molo, Luciano Leilua, and Jessica Patea are set to represent Samoa.

Jack de Belin and Dan Russell have both been included in Papua New Guinea's squad.

Hunt will look to add to his tally of 15 Tests with the 34-year-old having been a part of a pair of World Cup winning campaigns with the Kangaroos.

The club's captain also brought up his milestone 20th Maroons cap this year whilst leading the premiership in try assists (30), kicks (353), and kick metres (10,888).

The departing Lomax earnt a maiden State of Origin nod this year scoring three tries and kicking eight goals in NSW’s series win.

Lomax – who was named as a winger in the Dally M Team of the Year for the first time in his career – led the side in tries (14), runs (437), run metres (3,594) and offloads (50).

Suli again finds himself in the Tongan squad coming off a terrific season in which he made 19 appearances scoring three tries and averaging a career-high 143 run metres.

The Fairfield United junior already has eight international caps under his belt having last represented his country in the United Kingdom late last year.

Fotu-Moala meanwhile debuted for Tonga back in 2022 in Auckland and this year made the leap up to NRLW.

Fotu-Moala notches maiden career double

The 25-year-old scored three tries from six appearances and averaged 113 run metres.

King will look to back up her phenomenal Kiwi Ferns debut from a year ago alongside departees Alexis Tauaneai and Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

King was limited to just four outings for the Dragons this year due to Olympics commitments and concussion issues but again slotted in seamlessly alongside halves partner Raecene McGregor who has made her unavailable for selection.

Tauaneai – who led the team in runs (150), run metres (1,529), post contact metres (705), tackles (300) and offloads (19) – and Teakaraanga-Katoa – who played in all nine games for the second-straight year amassing career-highs in run metres (1,260) and tackles (262) – were named co-NRLW Player of the Year for the club.

Molo earns a recall for Samoa having first represented the nation in 2022.

The 30-year-old is fresh off a season in which he appeared in all but one game for the Red V averaging 95 run metres and making 566 total tackles at over 94 per cent efficiency.

He is joined by Luciano Leilua who made his international debut back in November of 2019.

In his first year back at the club since 2019, the Hurstville United junior appeared in 18 games scoring three tries and assisting on five others whilst making 468 total tackles at near 92 per cent efficiency.

Patea has been named in the Samoan squad for the first time in her young career.

The 19-year-old inked an NRLW development deal with the club this year and went on to become an integral member of the Steelers' premiership-winning Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership outfit.

De Belin will again wear a Kumuls jersey having enjoyed a successful maiden Pacific Championships campaign a year ago.

The 33-year-old appeared in every game this season for the Red V averaging 130 run metres – his highest tally since 2017 – and making 743 total tackles at over 96 per cent efficiency.

Russell meanwhile has grown into a stalwart of the Kumuls in recent years having represented the side on 10 occasions since making his debut in the backend of 2019.

The departing back rower made 20 Knock-On Effect NSW Cup appearances for the Red V this season scoring a trio of tries and averaging 81 run metres.