The St George Dragons junior representative sides opened their 2024 campaigns last weekend away from home, but this week they all ran out onto their Netstrata Kogarah Oval home ground.
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In Round 1 the Dragons SG Ball Cup side came up with a drought-breaking win at the foot of the mountains - amazingly the Dragons' first over the Panthers since the turn of the century.
The young Dragons proved this wasn't a fluke going back to back with a convincing 42-10 flogging of Manly leaving them unbeaten and on top of the table with their brothers the Illawarra Steelers.
Coach Willie Talau believes that 2024 will be a big one for his side after having learnt a tonne over the course of last year and through the preseason.
"I believe this is the most balanced junior reps side I've ever been involved with and that's a massive credit to Ian Millward and Kyle Stanley," Talau said.
"This group is benefitting from the foundations established by standards set by our 2023 playing group.
"Our season goal is that we play semis," he said.
They now play the North Sydney Bears in Round 3 action at Hills Grammar, Kenthurst on Saturday.
Unfortunately the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles bounced back in the Women's Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup and put on a masterclass on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 52-0 win over the St George Dragons.
After coming off a bye last week, Manly started their season impressively scoring 10 unanswered tries - including a hat-trick to utility Krystal Weekes.
Halfback Danii Nicole Gray scored 16 points - scoring the opening try along with kicking six out of 10 conversions - while Indiana Russell-Lia had a strong impact off the bench scoring a double in the 25th and 28th minute.
The Harold Matthews Cup boys kicked off the day at Kogarah but went down 26-6 against a strong Manly team, it was a better result than last week when they lost to last year's semi-finalists the Panthers 44-4 at the foot of the mountains.
It was a similar result for the women's U17 Dragons Lisa Fiaola Cup side who went down 46-4 to the Sea Eagles after a big defeat by the Panthers 36-0 in Penrith last outing.
All junior representative competitions run for nine rounds before finals.
The Warriors Under 19s have secured their first win in the NSWRL UNE SG Ball Cup with an impressive 48-12 win over the North Sydney Bears at Navigation Home Stadium. It is the debut season for the New Zealand club and they hit back with two tries after being behind - they finished the game strongly with five tries to one.
John Veage
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
