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Dragons secure Jillaroos star Emma Verran for ‘27
Dragons secure Jillaroos star Emma Verran for ‘27
The Dragons are thrilled to announce that Jillaroos and Sky Blues star Emma Verran has agreed to a three-year deal to return to the club.
www.dragons.com.au
The Dragons are thrilled to announce that Jillaroos and Sky Blues star Emma Verran (née Tonegato) has agreed to a deal to return to the club in 2027.
The deal will bring the 30-year-old back to the Dragons until at least the end of the 2029 season.
A Wollongong native and Helensburgh Tigers junior, Verran returns to the club having represented the Jillaroos on nine occasions – including in their victorious 2021 Rugby League World Cup Final – and the Sky Blues on nine occasions.
An Olympic gold medalist with Australia’s Rugby Sevens team in 2016, Verran’s introduction to the NRLW came with the Red V in 2021 where she was awarded the competition’s Dally M Medal for Player of the Year and helped lead the side to a Grand Final berth.
She spent the 2022 season with the club before joining the Sharks for their inaugural campaign the following year.
Verran is fresh off a year in which she appeared in all but one outing in Cronulla’s run towards a Preliminary Final appearance scoring nine tries, assisting on eight others, and averaging 136 run metres.
“It’s really special to be making my return to the Dragons,” Verran said.
“I grew up in Wollongong; I got my first shot in the NRLW here at the club. For me, it’s just important that I’m in the best place to look after my growing family and be where I think I’ll be able to perform at my best postpartum.
“It was a big decision for me but I’m really optimistic about the direction that the club is headed. There’s so much talent here already and the conversations that I’ve had with Crossy have been really encouraging. It’s an exciting time.”
Dragons CEO Tim Watsford believes that the signing represents a vote of confidence in the club’s leadership and is excited to welcome back a player of Verran’s calibre.
“This is an extremely pivotal moment for the club,” Watsford said.