Dragons young gun Maria Paseka was today named in the Fiji Bulikula squad for this month’s Rugby League World Cup.
She joins teammates Taliah Fuimaono, Tyra Ekepati, Brooke Anderson and Trinity Tauaneai as well as Valentine Holmes among the Dragons representatives to have been named in World Cup squads this week.
FIJI
Maria Paseka will again represent the Fiji Bulikula side having played a key role in the country’s World Cup Qualifiers last year.
An two-time Under 19s Origin representative, Paseka made her international debut last October scoring four tries in two matches.
A Kiama Knights and Collegians Wollongong product, Paseka this season earnt a promotion into the club’s Top 24 piecing together a breakout campaign which saw her listed as a finalist for the RLPA’s Dream Team.
In 10 outings this year, the 20-year-old scored three tries, broke 26 tackles, and averaged 111 run metres.
Paseka hit a rich vein of form entering the final month of the season finishing with two tries, three line breaks, 15 tackle breaks, and averaging 146 run metres over her final four matches.
COOK ISLANDS
Valentine Holmes will wear the Cook Islands Aitu jersey for the first time in his illustrious career at this month’s Rugby League World Cup.
Holmes, whose mother Lucy was born in the Cook Islands, made his international debut for the Kangaroos at the 2016 Four Nations and has gone on to represent Australia on 21 occasions scoring 20 tries and claiming two World Cup titles.
The 31-year-old linked up with the Red V in 2025 and has made 38 appearances over the past two seasons scoring 16 tries and assisting on 17 others.
Reuben Porter, who represented the club’s Knock-On Effect NSW Cup outfit on four occasions this season before playing a key role in Corrimal’s charge to the Illawarra League’s Grand Final, joins Holmes in the squad.
NEW ZEALAND
Brooke Anderson and Trinity Tauaneai were listed in New Zealand’s World Cup squad as they look to go one better this time around.
Anderson, in her lone season as a Dragon, captained the team and appeared in all 11 matches, totalling 373 tackles at close to 94 per cent efficiency as she split her time between lock and hooker.
Tauaneai, a Wainuiomata Lions junior, made her NRLW debut in last year’s season opener and enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign as she was named the club’s Emerging Talent recipient.
In 10 appearances this year, Tauaneai averaged 62 run metres to go along with 158 tackles at over 90 per cent efficiency, 13 tackle breaks, and a maiden try.
She is joined in the squad by older sister Alexis Tauaneai as well as Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa, both of whom will link up with the club in 2027 on two-year deals.
SAMOA
Taliah Fuimaono and Tyra Ekepati each earn call-ups as Fetu Samoa prepare for their maiden World Cup campaign.
Fuimaono returned to the Dragons this year having made her NRLW debut for the Red V in Round 1, 2021.
The 27-year-old made her international debut for Fetu Samoa back in 2019 and was a part of their Pacific Championships campaign 12 months ago.
Fuimaono started the first seven matches of the season for the Dragons in the No.6 jersey before having her season cut short by a shoulder issue.
Ekepati meanwhile joined the club last year from the Roosters and was rewarded with an NRLW debut just weeks later.
In eight NRLW matches this season, Ekepati scored two tries, assisted on another, and averaged 71 run metres.
AUSTRALIA
Hamish Stewart was on Monday named a shadow player for reigning World Champions Australia – a fitting recognition of the season the 22-year-old has produced.
Stewart was the youngest player named in last week’s Dally M Team of the Year having just two weeks earlier become the youngest male player in club history to take out the Dragons Medal.
Stewart was one of only two Dragons to play in every match this season, tallying five tries and nine try assists – the most by any non-hooking forward in the premiership – along with a competition-leading 996 tackles, 18 offloads and an average of 94 run metres.
Having debuted in last year’s season opener, Stewart has quickly established himself as one of the premiership’s hardest-working defenders and developed into a genuine attacking threat through his damaging ball-running, playmaking and aerial ability.
