NRL Indigenous Round Match Preview: Dragons host Sharks in Local Derby battle

Author: St George Illawarra Dragons
Timestamp: Thu 6 Aug 2026, 03:18 PM

The Dragons are back at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium this Sunday for an anticipated Indigenous Round Local Derby.

The club's NRL squad take on rivals the Sharks in the second leg of an action-packed double-header with our NRLW side meeting the Wests Tigers at 1:35pm.

Round 23 - Round 23 - Sunday 9 Aug

6:05 am

Dragons

Sharks

Venue: St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah

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Team Lists Get Tickets

KEY INFO

Tickets: Available at Ticketmaster
Date: Sunday, August 9th
Venue: St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah
Watch: Nine, 9Now, Kayo, Foxtel
Box Office: 1:00pm
Gates Open: 1:15pm
NRLW: 1:35pm
NRL: 4:05pm

CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS ROUND

The NRL is this weekend celebrating its annual Indigenous Round with the Dragons wearing the club's specially designed Indigenous Jersey.

The story of Rugby League is a story of connection. For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, families, communities and fans have helped shape the game we love.

Indigenous players make up 11% of the NRL playing population, 12% of the NRLW, and 20% of grassroots players.

Tyrell Sloan (Wiradjuri) and Josh Kerr (Quandamooka) will take to the field for our NRL side on Sunday with Ella Koster (Gweagal & Wiradjuri), Taliah Fuimaono (Wiradjuri), and Ahlivia Ingram (Wiradjuri & Dunghutti) representing our NRLW squad.

‘It means everything’: Kerr speaks on importance of Indigenous Round

WEARING A SPECIAL JERSEY

Both squads will be wearing a special Indigenous Round Jersey featuring an artwork ‘Drawing Courage from Country and Community’ by Kooriaani Dunn.

This artwork features the Five Islands, Mount Keira, Mt Kembla, the Ocean, Rivers and Streams. They are singing their stories of courage and determination and their songs are spreading across the land.

Gawura (the whales) are singing and dancing their song too. They rise and fall with courage and certainty. They are powerful, brave and strong.

There are two meeting places: the women's meeting place is in the top left hand corner and the men's meeting place is in the bottom right. These represent the Dharawal Elders past, present and emerging, the St George Illawarra Dragons, all the people of the Illawarra and the club’s fans. The two hands in the top right corner represent our cultural diversity. Together we lift our voices, together we dance, together we sing. Together we cheer on the mighty St George Illawarra Dragons.

Following the theme of courage, Dragons major sponsor Squadron Energy has chosen to step off the jersey to make space for the artwork as a statement of cultural significance and respect for the Dragons' First Nation players, communities and the artwork.

Dragons launch 2026 Indigenous Jersey

WEBSTER TO DEBUT

Dragons Academy graduate Jacob Webster is set to become St George Illawarra Dragon #296 when he takes to the field for his NRL debut on Sunday.

A Kempsey Dragons junior, Webster made his way to Wollongong as a teenager to play Harold Matthews Cup with the Steelers.

An Under 19s State of Origin representative in 2022, the 23-year-old has grown into an integral part of the club’s Knock-On Effect NSW Cup side having this year averaged 131 metres and tallied 672 tackles at over 95 per cent efficiency in 18 outings.

Jacob Webster wins the race to a kick with the club's Knock-On Effect NSW Cup side.

50-50 CHARITY RAFFLE PARTNER: BURRAGA FOUNDATION

The St George Illawarra Dragons will be partnering with the Burraga Foundations for this weekend's 50-50 Charity Raffle at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium.

Show Your Support!

The Burraga Foundation is an Aboriginal not-for-profit charity organisation whose initiatives aim to champion a better understanding of Aboriginal Australia for all Australians by working in partnership with Aboriginal communities to support cultural awareness, community engagement, training and employment opportunities.

They work alongside Aboriginal people and communities, supporting schools, government, and non-government organisations to foster genuine and lasting local partnerships and also facilitate the provision of modern technologies to support relationship building, enable learning, and empower Aboriginal language revival.

The Burraga Foundation was inspired by activist and leader Joe Anderson who also known as King Burraga.

The Burraga Foundation offers a range of services including on-country tours, cultural awareness training, cultural consultation, partnerships, Reconciliation Action Plan development and support, and digital resource and materials development.

TEAM NEWS

DRAGONS

Toby Couchman (head knock) is unavailable for the Dragons seeing Emre Guler promoted to the run-on side and debutant Jacob Webster named in jersey No.17.
Moses Suli and Lyhkan King-Togia retain their spots in the starting unit having impressed in their first-grade returns last week.

SHARKS

Mawene Hiroti fills in at centre for KL Iro (head knock) whilst the loss of Siosifa Talakai (biceps) brings Hohepa Puru onto the bench.

Round 23 - Round 23 - Sunday 9 Aug

6:05 am

Dragons

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Clinton Gutherson

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
Winger for Dragons is number 2 Setu Tu

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
Centre for Dragons is number 3 Moses Suli

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
Centre for Dragons is number 4 Valentine Holmes

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Mawene Hiroti
Winger for Dragons is number 5 Tyrell Sloan

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Lyhkan King-Togia

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall
Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Kyle Flanagan

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicho Hynes

Forwards

Prop for Dragons is number 8 Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Damien Cook

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
Prop for Dragons is number 10 Emre Guler

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Jesse Colquhoun
2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Dylan Egan

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Hamish Stewart

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
Lock for Dragons is number 13 Ryan Couchman

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Interchange

Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Jacob Liddle

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Hohepa Puru
Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Josh Kerr

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Billy Burns
Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Jacob Halangahu

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Oregon Kaufusi
Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Jacob Webster

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas Hazelton
Interchange for Dragons is number 18 Daniel Atkinson

Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Michael Gabrael
Interchange for Dragons is number 19 Mathew Feagai

Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Braden Uele

Reserves

Reserve for Dragons is number 20 Luciano Leilua

Reserve for Sharks is number 20 Niwhai Puru
Reserve for Dragons is number 21 Christian Tuipulotu

Reserve for Sharks is number 21 Samuel Stonestreet
Reserve for Dragons is number 22 Ryan Hutchinson

Reserve for Sharks is number 22 Tuku Hau Tapuha