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The 2025 junior reps season kicks off this Saturday with the club’s teenage stars looking to leave their mark as they embark on the next step of their footballing journey.

The St George Dragons will feature teams in SG Ball Cup (Under 19s boys), Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s girls), Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s boys) and Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s girls) this year.

The men's sides kick-off their season at Redfern Oval on Saturday with the women's units facing the Steelers in a pair of club derbies down at Collegians.

SG BALL CUP

The Dragons SG Ball squad are fresh off the club’s first title in 32 years having stormed past the Bulldogs 40-18 in the competition’s decider at CommBank Stadium last April.

Former-Dragon Darren Nicholls takes over from Willie Talau as head coach with Hayden Fepuleai his assistant.

The playing group has undergone some change as well with Cyrus Stanley-Traill, Zachariah Nachar, Viliami Hikila, and Risiate Smythe the players returning from last year’s Grand Final team.

Stanley-Traill – the nephew of former Dragons Kyle and Chase Stanley – spent the summer undergoing his first NRL preseason having inked a contract upgrade in late-2023.

Among the new faces are captain Lewis Sargent-Wilson – a skilful Endeavour Sports halfback who makes the move up from the Steelers this season – and Alex Futialo – an athletic prop who skippered the Dragons Harold Matthews Cup outfit last season and was a part of the Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown side who appeared in the 2024 NRL Schoolboy Cup Final.

Stanley-Traill, Hikila, and Smythe will look to maintain the forward dominance which helped lead the Red V to an SG Ball title a year ago although this time around it will be Futialo, Garylee Tohovaka – an athletic prop who makes the move over from the Sharks system – and Mitch Langley – a hard-working local junior – among the names flanking them.

Alongside Sargent-Wilson, fullback Xavier Kirk, five-eighth Charlie Boyle, and dummy half Jayden Kouka make up a new-look spine for the side’s season opener.

The Dragons spend their first three weeks of the season on the road kicking things off against South Sydney at Redfern Oval before facing Balmain at Lidcombe Oval and the Roosters at Henson Park.

They host the Magpies in Round 4 before making the trip out to Scone to meet with the Bulldogs the following week.

Their anticipated clash against the Steelers comes in Round 6 at WIN Stadium before ending the year with home face-offs against the Warriors, Raiders, and Knights.

Cyrus Stanley-Traill working hard in his maiden NRL preseason.
Cyrus Stanley-Traill working hard in his maiden NRL preseason.

TARSHA GALE CUP

St George’s Tarsha Gale Cup side will be aiming for an improved campaign in 2025 after finishing winless a year ago.

Sam Saadat takes over as head coach for 2025 with Zac Rentoul flanking him.

Classy playmaker Tahli Struthers is back after making the leap up to Tarsha Gale Cup level a year ago and will skipper the side whilst No.9 Carolina Cook and front rower Vanessa Walker make the transition up from last year’s Lisa Fiaola Cup squad.

Sky Antoniolli starts the year at the back having made the move down from the Sunshine Coast whilst Jessica Stevens lines up at five-eighth.

Charli Pitstock and Lalita Kris round out the starting middle alongside Walker whilst Gezreyal Maiu'u and Sienna Guider make up a talented edge forward combo.

Their season kicks off with a clash against the defending premier Steelers at Collegians before they face the Rabbitohs, Roosters Indigenous Academy, and Raiders.

They’re at home against the Wests Tigers in Round 5 before making the trip up to the Hunter to face the Knights in the lead-up to their Round 7 bye.

They end their regular season with matchups against the Bulldogs and Panthers.

HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP

St George are fresh off a year in which they managed just two wins but were able to unearth some promising talent.

Reece Regan takes over as head coach with Shane Smith his assistant as the Dragons look to make a return to the postseason.

There are a number of returning players set to benefit from the experience of last season including brothers Jasais and Johannan Ah Kee, utility back Jayden Rawson, back rower Jake Kotevski, playmaker Rauna Ryder-Kingi and versatile forward Lino Tamaseu.

Christian Mardini and Jaeden Kavana have both enjoyed strong preseasons having joined the club late last year with Regan rewarding the duo with co-captaincy nods.

Among the other new faces include Phoenix Johns – a powerful centre who makes the move up from the Steelers – and Luka Halangahu – a strong back rower with a similar build to older brother Jacob.

Kavana, Halangahu, and Tamaseu make up a formidable back row for Round 1 with Mardini the No.9 and Jasais Ah Kee the five-eighth.

Rawson finds himself partnered by Iverson Pauga in the centres whilst fullback Cody Field and halfback Charlie Jones round out the spine.

Their season starts on the road against the Rabbitohs before clashes against Balmain, Central Coast, and Canberra.

They’re on a road trip out to Scone in Round 5 to face the Bulldogs before heading to Wollongong to face the Steelers in the lead-up to their Round 7 bye.

Their final fortnight of the regular season sees them take on Manly and Cronulla both at Kogarah.

Preseason training in full swing for Reece Regan's Under 17s squad.
Preseason training in full swing for Reece Regan's Under 17s squad.

LISA FIAOLA CUP

The Dragons will be eyeing a climb up the ladder this season at Lisa Fiaola Cup level after a disappointing season in 2024.

Former-Dragon Renee Targett takes over as head coach of the Lisa Fiaola Cup unit with Pricilla Younes her assistant.

Having made a name for herself with the Australian women’s gridiron team before making the shift to rugby league, Targett linked up with the Red V prior to the 2021 NRLW season earning call-ups to the Blues’ State of Origin squad in 2021 and again in 2022.

She announced her retirement from the NRLW at the end of 2023 and spent last season as an assistant coach with St George’s Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership and Lisa Fiaola Cup squads.

Targett will have a group of returning players to lean on including centre Markenzy Siumaka Vaha, back rower Taylah El-Ters, fullback Morgan Simon and versatile forward Amelia Phillips.

Brooke Carroll and Ruby King make up a new-look halves pairing with Monique Marshall the No.9 and Alexis Fenton and Lily Munns partnering each other up front.

Round 1 beckons as a big one for St George with Targett’s squad making the trip south to face the Steelers before clashes against South Sydney and Central Coast.

They’ll be in Canberra for Round 4 to meet the Raiders before they’re back at home against the Wests Tigers and on the road to face the Knights.

Fresh off a Round 7 bye, they face the defending premier Bulldogs and Newcastle to round out the regular season.

Acknowledgement of Country

St George Illawarra Dragons respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples, where our games are played, our programs are conducted and in the communities we support.

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