The Dragons are pleased to announce that Tahlia O’Brien and Paige Tauaneai have inked development deals for the 2025 NRLW season.
The duo rounds out the club’s development list alongside Maria Paseka and Seriah Palepale.
A Western Suburbs Red Devils junior, O’Brien this year made the leap from Lisa Fiaola Cup up to Tarsha Gale Cup with Illawarra and started at five-eighth throughout their finals campaign.
Tauaneai meanwhile joins older sister Trinity in the club’s wider NRLW squad having pieced together a dominant Lisa Fiaola Cup season with the Bulldogs.
“Tahlia and Paige are two exciting, young talents and have earnt these opportunities off the back of a lot of hard work,” Head Coach Nathan Cross said.
“Tahlia proved herself as a really key player for the Steelers in her first year of Tarsha Gale Cup. She’s another local girl – a Wests Devils junior – and has progressed through our system here.
“She’s versatile and has a lot of ability and potential. She spent time in the back row and the halves with the Steelers this year and is an extremely humble and coachable young woman.”
“Paige comes from a really talented rugby league family and it’s great to have been able to welcome her to the Dragons. She’s another great athlete and has only just turned 17, so she’s only scratching the surface of what she can be as a player.
“Like Tahlia, she’s just begun her first preseason with the top squad and has fit in really well with the girls. We’re excited to see what the future holds for both players.”
