The Dragons are proud to announce that Ben Murdoch-Masila will remain with the club post-retirement as a Cultural Strategy & Inclusion Officer.
The 34-year-old played the final game of his rugby league career in the side’s Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Grand Final defeat in September marking the end of a 16-year, 249-game topflight journey.
Also a 16-time Tongan representative, Murdoch-Masila joined the Dragons in 2023 and quickly proved himself to be a vital leader for the club both on and off the field.
In 2024, he was named the Dragons’ Club Person of the Year due in large part to his role in mentoring the club’s younger players, organising team bonding sessions, and going above and beyond his regular commitments whilst rehabbing a season-ending foot injury.
This year, he also received the Mark Coyne Trophy for his initiative in developing a career outside of football.
Murdoch-Masila’s new role will see him build and implement the ‘Dragons Cultural Program’ and have this integrated into the club’s Education and Wellbeing program whilst delivering education sessions and resources to players, coaches, and staff to improve cultural understanding and respectful engagement.
Furthermore, he will be tasked with organising cultural awareness days and club-wide celebrations that highlight Pacific Islander, Tongan, Samoan, Māori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture whilst serving as a trusted mentor for players and maintaining relationships with local community groups and leaders.
