The Dragons are this week preparing for the club’s first second-grade decider since 2016 with a squad made up of a mixture of determined veterans and exuberant youngsters.
The group of players that take to the field on Sunday will do so looking to cap off a dream year and bring the NSW Cup Trophy back to the Red V.
FULLBACK – CODY RAMSEY (c)
Ramsey’s story is one of myth-like perseverance. 896 days he spent sidelined with ulcerative colitis, but this Sunday he will lead the Red V onto CommBank Stadium as captain. A native of Molong in the Central West region of NSW, Ramsey made the move to the club in 2018 to link up with St George’s SG Ball team before making the leap up to Jersey Flegg in 2019 where he received the Paul McGregor Trophy as the side’s Player of the Year. He scored a double in his NRL debut the following year and quickly grew into a fan favourite making 36 appearances over his first three seasons. His return to the field came in a combined trial at Henson Park in February before starting at the back in the NSW Cup unit’s season opener. In 23 appearances this year, the 25-year-old has scored 11 tries and assisted on 22 others whilst claiming the side’s Coach’s Award at last week’s Dragons Medal.
WINGER – MATHEW FEAGAI
Hailing from Leeton in the Riverina region of NSW, Feagai made the move to Wollongong as a teenageralongside identical twin Max to play Harold Matthews Cup for Illawarra. He starred for the Steelers’ SG Ball side the next two seasons playing a key role in their 2019 Grand Final victory before representing the Australian Schoolboys and NSW’s Under 18s Origin side later that year. He made a try-scoring NRL debut for the Dragons in Round 9, 2021 and went on to top the club’s try-scoring tally the following year. He was rewarded with an international debut for Samoa at the World Cup in 2022. Injury kept him sidelined for much of this year but, with 68 NRL appearances now under his belt, Feagai will look to add some more silverware to his name come Sunday.
CENTRE – HAYDEN BUCHANAN
Buchanan became a regular in Illawarra junior rep squads after his family settled in Gerringong and quickly made a name for himself as a strike centre. His Jersey Flegg debut came in 2023 when he was just 17 – the same year he earnt an Australian Schoolboys nod – before representing the Under 19s Blues a year young the following season. He made the leap up to NSW Cup in mid-2024 and went on to make seven appearances assisting on four tries and averaging over 100 run metres. He started the 2025 NSW Cup season in a rich vein of form to earn himself another NSW Under 19s call-up mid-year. Buchanan made his NRL debut in the side’s Round 23 local derby win scoring a try and assisting on another before finishing the year with five NRL caps to his name. In 16 NSW Cup outings this year, he’s managed three tries and eight try assists whilst averaging 115 run metres.
CENTRE – TYLER PECKHAM-HARRIS
Peckham-Harris grew up in Queensland and spent his junior days with the Calliope Roosters. He started at fullback in Ipswich State’s Schoolboy Cup Final victory in 2022 before linking up with St George’s SG Ball team in 2024 where he played a key role in the side’s charge to the Grand Final. He made the transition up to Jersey Flegg later that year before earning a NSW Cup debut in Round 18 this season. Peckham-Harris had no issues making the jump up running for 189 metres with five tackle breaks and scoring two tries in just his second start at fullback.
WINGER – JESSE WILLIAMS
Williams played his junior football in the Parramatta district before making the move to link up with St George’s SG Ball squad in 2023. A rapid winger, Williams grew into an integral member of the squad in 2024 notching 20 tries just in just 11 matches including a double in the side’s Grand Final win over Canterbury. He graduated through to Jersey Flegg following the conclusion of the side’s SG Ball campaign and plied his trade at that level before making his NSW Cup debut in Round 18 this year. He’s managed five tries in nine NSW Cup matches this season to go along with 95 average run metres.
FIVE-EIGHTH – JONAH GLOVER
Another Queensland native who played his juniors at the Springfield Panthers, Glover won the Hastings Deering Colts Player of the Year with the Brisbane Tigers in 2022 and made the move to Sydney the following year to join the Bulldogs where he was a member of their Jersey Flegg premiership side. He joined the Dragons in the lead-up to the 2024 season and proved a NSW Cup stalwart scoring eight tries, kicking 49 goals, and leading the team in try assists as he took home the side’s Coach’s Award in his maiden season. He moved onto an NRL development deal this year and again pieced together a strong campaign scoring nine tries and assisting on 22 others en route to the side’s Player of the Year Award.
HALFBACK – LACHLAN ILIAS
A Leichhardt Wanderers junior, Ilias made the move to the Dragons over the offseason from South Sydney. He came through the junior reps pathways at Balmain before linking up with the Rabbitohs in 2019 where he starred in their run towards a Jersey Flegg title. His NRL debut came against the Dragons in Round 25, 2021 before he went on to play 53 games at South Sydney. He made his international debut for Greece at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022 making three appearances and scoring a try against Samoa. Ilias’ Dragons debut came in the side’s season opener against Canterbury before he finished the year with eight tries and 15 try assists in 19 NSW Cup outings.
FRONT ROW – BLAKE LAWRIE
Lawrie spent his junior days with the Dapto Canaries and progressed through the club’s pathways system playing Harold Matthews Cup and SG Ball with the Steelers before moving up to Under 20s. He represented the NSW Under 20s side and Junior Kangaroos in 2017 before making his NRL debut for the Red V in Round 17 on the Gold Coast. He came off the bench in the side’s 2018 Elimination Final win over the Broncos and secured his spot in the 17 the following season taking home the club’s Immortals Trophy in the process. Lawrie captained the Dragons for the first time in Round 19, 2023 before going on to receive the Dragons Medal come season’s end. A veteran of 160 NRL games, Lawrie will look to bring his trademark leadership to the young squad for Sunday’s decider.
HOOKER – CONNOR MUHLEISEN
A native of Buxton in the Wollondilly Shire, Muhleisen grew up playing his juniors with the Thirlmere-Tahmoor Roosters before linking up with Illawarra as a teenager. He represented the Steelers at Harold Matthews Cup and SG Ball level helping lead the side to a 2019 SG Ball Grand Final win. He made the leap up to Jersey Flegg the following year before earning a maiden NSW Cup nod in Round 8, 2021. A gritty No.9, Muhleisen grew intoan integral member of the side before being rewarded with an NRL debut in Round 22, 2o23. The 24-year-old has proven one of the squad’s stalwarts in 2025 having tallied a competition-best 806 tackles at 96 per cent efficiency in 23 starts.
FRONT ROW – BEN MURDOCH-MASILA
Murdoch-Masila grew up in South Auckland and played his junior football for the Otahuhu Leopards before enrolling at rugby league powerhouse Keebra Park on the Gold Coast. He played Under 20s for the Wests Tigers before earning an NRL debut in the side’s Qualifying Final epic against the Roosters in 2010. He would go on to spend four seasons with the Wests Tigers before a stint at Penrith. In 2016, he made the move to the English Super League to link up with Salford for two seasons before joining Warrington – where he won a Challenge Cup in 2019. A fan favourite in the northern hemisphere, Murdoch-Masila returned to the NRL in 2021 with the Warriors before becoming a Dragon in 2023.
SECOND ROW – RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
Another Otahuhu Leopards junior, Faitala-Mariner linked up with the Red V in 2024 after eight seasons as a Bulldog. A Junior Kiwi, Faitala-Mariner came through the Under 20s system in New Zealand and made his NRL debut for the Warriors against the Titans in Round 8, 2015. He joined the Bulldogs mid-way through 2016 before making his international debut for Samoa the following week. His Kiwis debut came a little over two years later before he linked back up with the Samoan side for their midseason win over the Kumuls in 2019.Boasting a resumé that includes a quartet of internationals and 138 NRL games, Faitala-Mariner has proven another pillar of the club’s NSW Cup side this season scoring six tries and averaging 118 run metres in 17 appearances.
SECOND ROW – NICK TSOUGRANIS
An Arncliffe Scots junior, Tsougranis progressed through the grades at St George playing Harold Matthews Cup and SG Ball before making his Jersey Flegg debut in 2022. He was rewarded with a NSW Cup debut in mid-2023 before helping the Blues to an Under 19s Origin victory. He went on to play seven NSW Cup matches in 2023 before earning his first taste of NRL preseason training later in the year. 2025 has proven a breakout year for the 21-year-old whose strong NSW Cup form boosted him to an NRL debut in Round 15 against Cronulla. A capable centre and back rower, Tsougranis has tallied nine tries, eight try assists, and 16 linebreaks in 18 NSW Cup matches this year.
LOCK – JACOB WEBSTER
Webster played his junior football with the Kempsey Dragons and made his way to Wollongong as a teenager to play Harold Matthews Cup with the Steelers. He made the transition from SG Ball up to Jersey Flegg in 2022 – the same year he came off the interchange in NSW’s Under 19s Origin victory and made his NSW Cup debut. The next two seasons, he split his time between Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup before developing into a dependable part of the side’s middle forward rotation this year. The 22-year-old has made 21 NSW Cup appearances this season averaging 59 run metres and totalling 460 tackles at over 94 per cent efficiency.
INTERCHANGE – HAELE FINAU
The only member of the squad to have appeared in every game, Finau has proven a Mr. Fix It for the Red V this season. Finau grew up in Wallan in country Victoria and played his junior football with the Sunbury Tigers. Having impressed whilst in the Storm system, Finau made the move to the Dragons in 2023 alongside younger brother Sione and quickly became a vital member of the club’s NSW Cup squad. The 25-year-old has made 73 NSW Cup appearances for the Dragons over the past three seasons and this year has managed five tries, three try assists, and 528 tackles at over 92 per cent efficiency.
INTERCHANGE – RYAN HUTCHINSON
An Ormeau Shearers junior, Hutchinson caught the eye of Dragons scouts whilst at Keebra Park and linked up with St George’s SG Ball team in 2024 scoring a try in their Grand Final win. He made the transition up to Jersey Flegg late last year before developing into one of the side’s mainstays as the season progressed. His NSW Cup debut came in Round 15 with the 20-year-old having gone on to make eight appearances including a 186-metre, 35-tackle effort against Penrith in Round 25.
INTERCHANGE – HAME SELE
Sele played his junior football with the Kingsgrove Colts and came through the junior reps scene with St Georgeplaying Harold Matthews Cup and SG Ball. In 2014, he represented the Australian Schoolboys and Under 18s Blues. He spent three years with the club’s Under 20s team before earning an NRL debut for the Red V in Round 6, 2017. Sele departed the club at the end of the 2018 season spending a year with the Panthers before a four-season stay at the Rabbitohs where he made 49 appearances and was rewarded with a maiden international call-up for Tonga at the end of 2023. The 28-year-old made his return to the Dragons in 2024 and has made nine NSW Cup appearances this year scoring two tries.
INTERCHANGE – CYRUS STANLEY-TRAILL
The nephew of former Dragons Kyle and Chase, Stanley-Traill played his juniors at Hurstville United and has progressed through the pathways system at St George. He started in the back row in their SG Ball Grand Final win in early 2024 before earning a NSW City Under 18s nod and a Jersey Flegg debut later in the year. Fresh off a maiden NRL preseason with the Dragons, the teenager made his NSW Cup debut in Round 10 this year against Newtown before representing the NSW Under 19s squad in June. Stanley-Traill has gone on to make 11 NSW Cup appearances this season scoring a maiden try against the Warriors in Round 22.
REPLACEMENT PLAYER – KADE REED
A Western Suburbs Red Devils junior, Reed has progressed through the club’s pathways system and earlier this year captained Illawarra’s SG Ball outfit. The teenager earnt his first taste of NRL training in the lead-up to the 2024 season before going on to lead NSWCHS to a Final berth at the Schools Championships and scoring a try in the Red Devils’ Illawarra Grand Final win. Reed played 16 Jersey Flegg matches this year assisting on 27 tries before making his NSW Cup debut in Round 26 against the Bulldogs.
