The 2026 Junior Representatives competitions kick off tomorrow (Saturday 7 February) with the latest generation of junior Rugby League players, new teams, and a host of True Blue and former NRL talent involved in the coaching ranks.
True Blues Jayme Fressard, Keeley Davis, Corban Baxter, Boyd Cordner, Dale Finucane, Steve Turner and Mark O’Meley, as well as recently retired NRL players Chad Townsend and Lachlan Croker will pick up the clipboard in 2026. Other former NRL players involved include Pat Richards and Josh Hodgson.
Across the UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s Boys), UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s Men), Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls) and Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s Women), some of the game’s most respected names will share their experience with the rising stars of the game.
The Metropolitan competitions follow a successful Regional Magic Round last weekend, which launched the 2026 Regional Representative competitions including the Laurie Daley Cup (Under 18s Boys), Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls) and Andrew Johns Cup (Under 16s Boys).
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said the presence of former elite players across the Junior Representatives competitions underlined the strength and importance of the pathways system.
“The NSWRL’s Junior Representatives competitions provide pathways for any player wishing to pursue their dream of playing professional Rugby League,” Trodden said.
“There have been so many players who started out in Junior Reps programs before going on to play in the NRL and represent the Westpac NSW Blues which reinforces their importance.
“It is also pleasing every season to see so many former players return in a coaching capacity and give back to the game.
“I wish all teams the best of luck and look forward to all the highlights from our brightest and best young players in 2026.”
Townsend and Croker, who both retired in 2025, will coach in the UNE SG Ball Cup, with Townsend taking charge of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks while Croker will look after Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Fressard, Davis and Baxter will reprise their coaching roles at the Roosters this season. In the Lisa Fiaola Cup, Fressard will coach the Central Coast Roosters while in the Tarsha Gale Cup Davis will call the shots for the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy with Baxter acting as her assistant.
Finucane has taken on a specialist coaching role at the Canberra Raiders and will work closely with the teams in the UNE Harold Matthews, UNE SG Ball and Raiders Academy players.
Other highlights for 2026 include the Central Coast Roosters fielding a team for the first time in the UNE SG Ball Cup, while the Melbourne Storm have entered teams in the Westpac Tarsha Gale and Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cups.
See below for the full list of True Blues and former NRL players involved in the 2026 season.
UNE Harold Matthews Cup
True Blue Mark O’Meley (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Josh Hodgson (Parramatta Eels Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Paul Momirovski (Sydney Roosters Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Pat Richards (Western Suburbs Magpies Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Albert Vete (Warriors Head Coach)
Former NRL Player John Skandalis (Western Suburbs Magpies Assistant Coach)
True Blue Dale Finucane (Canberra Raiders Specialist Coach)
Former NRL Player Matt Frawley (Canberra Raiders Specialist Coach)
Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup
True Blue Vanessa Foliaki (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Head Coach)
True Blue Jayme Fressard (Central Coast Roosters Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Luke Phillips (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Greg Florimo (North Sydney Bears Assistant Coach)
UNE SG Ball Cup
True Blue Steve Turner (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Head Coach)
True Blue Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Darren Nicholls (St George Dragons Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Chad Townsend (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Head Coach)
Former NRL Player Lachlan Croker (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Head Coach)
True Blue Dale Finucane (Canberra Raiders Specialist Coach)
Former NRL Player Matt Frawley (Canberra Raiders Specialist Coach)
Westpac Tasha Gale Cup
True Blue Keeley Davis (Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy Head Coach)
True Blue Luke Bailey (Illawarra Steelers Head Coach)
True Blue Corban Baxter (Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy Head Coach)
Click here for the UNE Harold Matthews Cup draw
Click here for the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup draw
Click here for the UNE SG Ball Cup draw
Click here for the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup draw
