The NSWRL has cast its eye over the 12 teams who will take part in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup in 2022, with the opening round to kick off on Saturday 12 March. The state’s premier competition remains a valuable pathway for higher honours with 52 players going on last season to play in the NRL. Today, the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles.
2021
The Sea Eagles had a tough end to the 2021 season that was cut short after 15 rounds with only four victories to their name.
One area that the side will no doubt want to improve is their home record which finished at 1-3 last season – their sole victory at H.E. Laybutt Field being a 48-20 victory over North Sydney Bears back in round one.
Blacktown’s latter part of the 2021 season produced a strong turnaround in form, winning three consecutive matches on the road against South Sydney Rabbitohs (round nine), Parramatta Eels (round 11) and Newcastle Knights (round 12).
Those victories against a quality Eels outfit who finished third on the competition ladder, followed by the fifth-placed Knights proved the Sea Eagles certainly have enough in their arsenal to match themselves with the best teams and should provide them with plenty of confidence heading into 2022.
The other positive from 2021 was the number of young prospects who came through Manly Warringah’s lower grades that were introduced to The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, including the likes of NSW Pathways players Ben Trbojevic, Tolutau Koula and Keao Weekes.
This season
With the addition of some highly-touted young stars alongside a number of experienced names in the NSW Cup, the make-up of the Blacktown squad has them in good position for a marked improvement this year.
If the side can maintain a similar 17 throughout 2021, the Sea Eagles are every chance of competing in this year’s finals series off the back of the momentum they built towards the end of last season.
The team has already shown their capability to perform for long periods against top sides and score points from anywhere on the field, and doing that more consistently will make Blacktown a much tougher task for their opposition in the season to come.
This season is also an exciting time for the club with several new signings and the promotion of former assistant Nathan Hogan into the head coach role.
Under Hogan’s new direction, there will be plenty of interest as to how the Sea Eagles’ playing style changes in 2022.
As the Blacktown side were left chasing the pack at the back half of 2021, the Sea Eagles will be looking to secure many more early season victories to place them in good stead for a run to the finals this year.
Players to watch
We’ve already seen glimpses of their players in the 2022 NRL trials, but several other recent signings should certainly add to the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles’ attack this season.
Two of those players to watch are outside back Raymond Vaega and former PNG international, James Segeyaro.
Veaga spent most of 2021 plying his trade in the Jersey Flegg Cup despite and is now a near certainty for his first NSW Cup appearance in 2022, following a breakout performance in the Sea Eagles’ NRL trial against Wests Tigers.
The barnstorming winger entered the field in the second half and scored a hat-trick in just 22 minutes to help his side to a 24-point win.
He enters 2022 after a Jersey Flegg season where he scored six tries in 11 matches while averaging 152.9 run metres and 5.5 tackle busts per game.
Segeyaro brings experience to the all-important No. 9 role and his pace from dummy half will not only straighten up the Blacktown attack, but provide danger at the advantage line for opposition teams.
