What You Need to Know about the 2024 SG Ball Cup

The NSWRL has run its eyes over the Junior Reps competitions starting this weekend (Saturday 3 February) to highlight a few of the personnel changes as well as motivational factors for some clubs in 2024.

Bulldogs primed for finals push 

With numerous players from the 2023 Harold Matthews Cup premiership-winning side transitioning to the Under 19s SG Ball Cup, Canterbury-Bankstown is priming itself for success.   

Heading those additions with be Mitchell Woods. The young half recently signed an extension with the Bulldogs on top of his Player of the Match performance in last year’s 32-6 win over Newcastle Knights in the Harold Matthews Cup decider.  

Coaching the team will be former Storm premiership-winning winger and True Blue Steve Turner. 

Illawarra legend to coach Steelers 

The Illawarra Steelers enter the 2024 season under new coach, True Blue Shaun Timmins.  

The former utility and Dally M Lock of the Year played over 200 games for the Steelers and St George Illawarra Dragons, as well as nine State of Origin matches for NSW. 

After a seventh-place finish in 2023 for the Steelers, Timmins will be hoping to push for a finals berth in his first head coaching role.  

Big names to lead Sydney Roosters in 2024 

After a hefty loss to Newcastle (35-10) in the first week of the finals last year, the Roosters have some historic names to help them towards success in 2024.  

Club legend and three-time NRL premiership winner Jake Friend has taken the reigns as coach, and has a number of stars from the Roosters 2023 Harold Matthews Squad moving up into the Under 19s.  

Toby Rodwell (pictured above) and Zach Fittler, sons of former True Blues Brett Rodwell and Brad Fittler, look to bolster the Roosters squad. The pair also represented a NSW Invitational Under 17s side that played the Warrington Wolves in 2023. 

Young stars set to lift Dragons are disappointing 2023  

A group of emerging talent gives hope to an improved 2024 season for St George after an 11th-place finish last year.  

Finau Latu, Jacob Halangahu and Loko Pasifiki Tonga all signed long-term deals with the Dragons last year after representing the Australian Schoolboys side.  

Latu and Halangahu transition from the 2023 Harold Matthews side, while Tonga rejoins the squad having also made a couple of appearances in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.