Round 1 team so far in 2026

Frank Facer

SGI Jersey Flegg
Think it was Fletch on radio but Ennis has massive wraps in NRL land for his coaching ability, he's too good to be running simple drills apparently. Hope he can bring overs some backs like Koula &/or Hoppa.
I am very happy with Ennis being part of our coaching staff. He is one of the best football brains on TV that I know of. I would have been happy if he was appointed NSW coach. I don't like Daley coaching NSW. When ever I listened to Laurie Daley on TV his comments always were quite basic or superficial. He was a champion player.
 

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
So far is the team for 2028?
  1. Burton
  2. Holmes
  3. Heidke
  4. Buchanan
  5. Williams
  6. LKT or Hamoud or Ah Kee
  7. Reed
  8. KK
  9. Liddle
  10. Couchman
  11. Nick T or Halangahu or Egan
  12. Egan or Nick T or Halangahu
  13. Stewart

  14. Couchman
  15. LPT
  16. Egan or Nick T or Halangahu
  17. ????????
Even in 2 years that'll be a very young team but with Liddle, Holmes, KK, I don't think it's impossibly young. Couchmans will be in their prime.
 

Kim

SGI Jersey Flegg
Burton in 2028 I still doubt, immensely talented but starting at fullback at 19yo in the NRL is a tall order

Might jag a wing spot for a year or 2 then move into FB similarly to Minichello/Turbo/Tuivasa Sheck
Burton is just 16, I believe. Also 16 is Rokko Walker, who is also already 6'2" and rocket fast. And as a five eight out of a All Blacks rugby school, he will almost certainly have a big boot. The future in the halves is very, very bright. 2030 premiership window?
 

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
Burton in 2028 I still doubt, immensely talented but starting at fullback at 19yo in the NRL is a tall order

Might jag a wing spot for a year or 2 then move into FB similarly to Minichello/Turbo/Tuivasa Sheck
Gutho will be in his last year. He was disappointing in the second half after a strong start last season but with better line speed in defence, better long kicking, hopefully he won't be defusing attacking kicks every set. If not, Holmes could also play fullback allowing Burton to play in the wing.
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Burton in 2028 I still doubt, immensely talented but starting at fullback at 19yo in the NRL is a tall order

Might jag a wing spot for a year or 2 then move into FB similarly to Minichello/Turbo/Tuivasa Sheck
Ai Burton, CMeafou, AhKee are just too young yet to be thinking about for first grade positions.. 1 or 2 contracts still to come if they even stay.. and many step ups to come... just too young.

Burton to me might not end up a fullback either.. he has the attributes I think to play anywhere in the back 5... and a lot of young fullbacks end up moving out in time as its an incredibly difficult position.. esp for a young fullback.. managing the defence and being a part of the attacking structure too on top of their individual job which is hard enough as it is.. the same way young centres can move out to the wing to simplify their role.. Lomax a great example even though it happened later than it should have.
 

Leighton Craig

SGI Jersey Flegg
So far is the team for 2028?
  1. Burton
  2. Holmes
  3. Heidke
  4. Buchanan
  5. Williams
  6. LKT or Hamoud or Ah Kee
  7. Reed
  8. KK
  9. Liddle
  10. Couchman
  11. Nick T or Halangahu or Egan
  12. Egan or Nick T or Halangahu
  13. Stewart

  14. Couchman
  15. LPT
  16. Egan or Nick T or Halangahu
  17. ????????
Even in 2 years that'll be a very young team but with Liddle, Holmes, KK, I don't think it's impossibly young. Couchmans will be in their prime
Atkinson has to be here as the 5,8
Cyrus and d Meafou Will hopefully be in the question by then
 
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Leighton Craig

SGI Jersey Flegg
My NSW cup 2026 lineup


1 Tyrell Sloan
2 David Fale
3 Hayden Buchanan
4 Nathan Lawson / Charles Heidke
5 Mathew Feagai
6 Lyhkan King-Togia
7 Joseph O’Neill
8 Blake Lawrie
9 Haele Finau
10 Loko Pasifiki Tonga
11 Nick Tsougranis
12 Jacob Halangahu
13 Jacob Webster

14 Isaiah Fagalilo
15 Larry Muagututia
16 Ryan Hutchinson
17 Dylan Coutts

18 Jarrah Gaia-Treweek
19 Cyrus Stanley-Traill
20 Kade Reed
21 Daniel Meafou
22 Charles Heidke
23 kye Andrews
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
My NSW cup 2026 lineup


1 Tyrell Sloan
2 David Fale
3 Hayden Buchanan
4 Nathan Lawson / Charles Heidke
5 Mathew Feagai
6 Lyhkan King-Togia
7 Joseph O’Neill
8 Blake Lawrie
9 Haele Finau
10 Loko Pasifiki Tonga
11 Nick Tsougranis
12 Jacob Halangahu
13 Jacob Webster

14 Isaiah Fagalilo
15 Larry Muagututia
16 Ryan Hutchinson
17 Dylan Coutts

18 Jarrah Gaia-Treweek
19 Cyrus Stanley-Traill
20 Kade Reed
21 Daniel Meafou
22 Charles Heidke
23 kye Andrews
I would like to see Reed in there at 7 getting ready for NRL IN 2027
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Atkinson has to be here as the 5,8
Cyrus and d Meafou Will hopefully be in the question by then
Maybe. He'll be 25 in 2 weeks? LKT was 19 for most of last season. I don't know why anyone thinks Atkinson is going to be locked into a place in the starting side at the expense of LKT. He might be but I can't understand why anyone thinks it's certain.
 
With respect to our young forwards they are yet to play a sufficient number of NRL games for us to determine their ultimate trajectory.

I hope they perform like Bath’s babes.

It would be great to sign a marquee forward to bolster the prop position to allow for a constant rotation whilst they gain more experience.

The backline has been used as a battering ram with CT & Suli. Our lack of speed limits our ability to compete with the top 6 sides.

The halves remain an experiment.

Atkinson is largely unproven.

LKT will improve but lacks genuine speed. I believe his defence will improve this season.

Young Flanno gives 110%, and is an excellent defender. Unfortunately being the son of the coach places him firmly in the spotlight. In my view his criticism on most forums is largely unwarranted.

In 2025, our forward pack due to injury and a lack of a hard edge were probably the worst in the competition. The best halves in the comp would have struggled to win games behind the lack of go forward.

Whilst the youngsters may lack size they certainly are very mobile. I am hopeful their big motors will give us the opportunity to win the arm wrestle in 2026.

I hope Kade Reed has a breakout season in 2026 and challenges for a spot in the 17 by mid season.

Gutho at fullback was less than impressive in the second half of the season. Sloan lacks
Real confidence and a willingness generally to put his body on the line. Unless that changes, this will be his last season in the red V.
Now someone that acknowledges history. Baths babe's, how good was he as a coach and the team he moulded? In fact I recall being at 2 GF in 77 and we won the 2nd one 22 zip.

You need experience, you can't put an old head on young shoulders but that team proved if you had the right mix of experience and youthful exuberance you can make magic on the paddock.

Believe me as a coach nobody is in a better position to know when to and when not to blood young rising stars in a way not to cause serious injuries especially in the engine room. Its a fine art but get it right and anything can happen.

If you don't have faith in your home grown youth then you will continue to recruit experience but alas as we have witnessed after their prime. Don't undersell our young engine room.
 
A few people have mentioned Leilua being turned into a prop. Souths did it well with their big second rower. Leilua needs to do it as well. Might give his career a shot in the arm. Otherwise there is no place for him in first grade.
We are talking about the same player L.L aren't we? He already plays for us doesn't he? All jokes aside L.L. is no prop . There is a very very big difference playing as a backrower on the edge than playing a bookend taking the ball 1 up.

His stat's aren't good enough to play prop avg 10 runs a game last season. Avg 88m again game. He made 1 linebreak last season, yes 1. He was at least 8 to 10kg overweight to my eye.

Just my views.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
Now someone that acknowledges history. Baths babe's, how good was he as a coach and the team he moulded? In fact I recall being at 2 GF in 77 and we won the 2nd one 22 zip.

You need experience, you can't put an old head on young shoulders but that team proved if you had the right mix of experience and youthful exuberance you can make magic on the paddock.

Believe me as a coach nobody is in a better position to know when to and when not to blood young rising stars in a way not to cause serious injuries especially in the engine room. Its a fine art but get it right and anything can happen.

If you don't have faith in your home grown youth then you will continue to recruit experience but alas as we have witnessed after their prime. Don't undersell our young engine room.
I really believe that after many years we are finally learning our lesson when it comes to home grown talent. Especially in the management of these kids.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
We are talking about the same player L.L aren't we? He already plays for us doesn't he? All jokes aside L.L. is no prop . There is a very very big difference playing as a backrower on the edge than playing a bookend taking the ball 1 up.

His stat's aren't good enough to play prop avg 10 runs a game last season. Avg 88m again game. He made 1 linebreak last season, yes 1. He was at least 8 to 10kg overweight to my eye.

Just my views.
Has probably been one of our worst recruits in the last couple of years. Highly disappointing and on decent coin. Our value for money on him would be extremely low.
 

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
We are talking about the same player L.L aren't we? He already plays for us doesn't he? All jokes aside L.L. is no prop . There is a very very big difference playing as a backrower on the edge than playing a bookend taking the ball 1 up.

His stat's aren't good enough to play prop avg 10 runs a game last season. Avg 88m again game. He made 1 linebreak last season, yes 1. He was at least 8 to 10kg overweight to my eye.

Just my views.
He's no prop now. He'd need to spend on off season training to play prop. He's certainly big enough to play prop and if he isn't prop, I don't see how he gets chosen in first grade next year. I'd have him behind Su'A, Nick T, Egan, Halangahu.
 

The Word

SGI Junior League
Has probably been one of our worst recruits in the last couple of years. Highly disappointing and on decent coin. Our value for money on him would be extremely low.
Hasn’t lived up to the billing for sure justa. However looking at the insta pics I’ve never seen him looking so fit, even when he was young. I’m going to be optimistic and say he’s got a point to prove and could just do something special for us this year. It really looks like he’s dropped to his fighting weight so he’s motivated. Maybe Flanagan’s finally managed to get into his head.

Will be under huge pressure from one of the Couchies, Egan (when he’s back) and the biggest threat to his spot in my opinion, Halangahu.
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
Has probably been one of our worst recruits in the last couple of years. Highly disappointing and on decent coin. Our value for money on him would be extremely low.
Leilua was most probably recommended by Dean Young to Shane Flanagan to sign up. He spent time coaching him at the Cowboys. Both Young and Leilua returned to the Dragons in 2024. With a loss in weight, he might be a different player in 2026 than he was in 2025. There will be several players vying to play on the edge next year. I cannot see him transitioning to the front row.
 
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