Kogarah's Netstrata Jubilee Stadium or Gerringong's Michael Cronin Oval? When the Dragons recorded their first win of the season last Saturday against the Melbourne Storm, you could have been forgiven for confusing the two.Three Gerringong Lions juniors - Tyran Wishart, Hamish Stewart and debutant Dylan Egan - took to the field for the closely fought 14-8 Dragons win.Egan seemed right at home in his debut NRL game playing 49 minutes off the bench with four tackle breaks and 34 tackles including a barnstorming run at a crucial moment in the game which led to a penalty and, ultimately, the try that sealed the game.“It was definitely a dream come true,” Egan said. “I definitely had nerves and butterflies, but overall I was just really excited to get out there.”Once it was announced earlier in the week that Egan would make his debut after being an unused reserve for the Dragons’ first two matches, he was flooded with messages of support to the point where he had to put the phone down to focus on preparations for the game.“I decided not to reply to any messages from Thursday on and just started focusing on what I had to do for the team."The older boys and coaching staff showed a lot of confidence in me, which gave me a lot of belief in myself too."From then on, Egan says the whole week felt like a highlight reel. “From the moment you’re told you're going to debut, to telling your family and friends, to the jersey presentation, and then running out onto the field for the first time. The whole week was unreal.”The Dragons managed to break their duck for the season against the Storm, but it wasn’t convincing in the slightest - only leading by six points for the final 13 minutes.Dylan Egan. Photo: Game Face PhotographyEgan admits he was all nerves and adrenaline until the very last moment.“There was a minute to go and we had a fresh set of six and at that point I pretty much knew that we won the game. That was definitely a highlight,” says Egan.His fellow Gerringong Lions teammate Hamish Stewart, who debuted in round one this season, says it was an honour to get to share the stage with such a close friend.“To run out with Dylan was so surreal, we've played together from U6s in Gerringong, right through the Steelers pathways and now together in the NRL."I love playing with Dylan and so does everyone that plays with him, he's all effort and competes on everything. He's the ultimate teammate,” Stewart said.Stewart made 24 tackles in his 30 minutes on the field and many of those were made with the help of Egan or vice versa.The other Gerringong Lion, Tyran Wishart, may have come away with the loss but was pivotal in Melbourne’s only try, in addition to making 151 run metres and 22 tackles.Photo: Game Face PhotographyEgan believes the dominance of Gerringong in the NRL is due to the passion fostered in the small town.“There’s just a huge love for footy in Gerringong. You’ll go up to the footy field on any afternoon, and there are always kids kicking the ball and playing footy against each other. It’s a great environment to grow up in,” Egan said.The Dragons will face the Eels on Saturday at Parramatta and both Egan and Stewart have retained their spots in the Dragons' 17.

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The Jamberoo Superoos are aiming for a fresh start in 2025 after a last year’s challenging season, in which they won only two of their 16 games.Coach Jono Dallas, returning for his 10th year in charge, took a break from coaching last season but made a brief playing comeback (something he maintains won’t happen in 2025) and says he’s now fully focused on leading the team back to success.Dallas believes the team has strengthened with a mix of new talent and returning players.“There’s a good balance of new and established first graders, which makes a big difference,” he said.“Last year, a lot of guys played more first-grade games than they usually would, which was a positive. It’s good for us now because they’re more accustomed to quality footy.“Adding more quality players this year will only help.”His coaching philosophy prioritises creating a positive, enjoyable environment for the team rather than focusing solely on intense training.A Jamberoo Superoos defender makes a tackle. Photo: Brian Scott“We’re sticking with the approach that’s worked for me - keeping things relaxed and enjoying each other’s company. I’m not saying it’s the only way, but it’s been effective for us,” Dallas said.“The key for me has always been that if the boys are happy, I’m happy. “When players aren’t enjoying themselves, that’s when things start to drop off. So honestly the ultimate thing for me is that they generally enjoy themselves and commit to the footy club, whether it be social nights and functions and all the things that come along with it.”Despite the challenges of 2024, Dallas remains optimistic about the club’s future and is proud of the players who kept pushing through the tough times.“I don’t think the club suffered too much; everyone stayed positive,” he said.“Even though the team didn’t have the depth or quality they needed, they kept competing. “I never saw them give up. Injuries and unavailability will happen, but we’re working on building more depth to cover that.”Dallas is focused on improving the results, not just being competitive.“I want to win. My goal is to have a winning season. It’s not enough to just try hard - first-grade football is about winning. I don’t like walking off the field after a loss thinking ‘well, they tried hard’. You need to win games.”The Jamberoo Superoos will play their first match of the Group Seven season against the Kiama Knights on 6 April at Kiama Showground.

Dylan Egan is the toast of St George Illawarra after the Gerringong forward made a barnstorming NRL debut in Saturday’s upset win over competition favourites Melbourne.Egan came off the bench at Kogarah and played 49 quality minutes, making several strong runs and pulling off some powerful hits on his Storm opponents.He made four tackle breaks and got through 34 tackles in a performance which caught the eye of co-captain Damien Cook.The former Illawarra Steelers SG Ball Cup captain was not the only Gerringong product on the field with teammate Hamish Stewart also playing strongly in just his third NRL game while Tyran Wishart started at halfback for Melbourne."I was excited to watch him debut, just seeing how hard he works at training," Cook said."I didn't know anything about him before getting to the Dragons (this season). “But he's an effort-based player, all the boys love him in the team as well and he never lets anyone down."And that's one of the best debuts I've seen from a young guy, too. He came in against a quality side in Melbourne. In the end, getting that penalty was definitely a big reason why we could close it out."St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan was equally impressed with the 20-year-old second-rower."He is going to have a long future in the NRL, he trains so hard, he knows his footy, he moves well. His determination and attitude is top shelf, so a long career for Dylan Egan," he said.Egan was swamped by a huge group of family and friends when he walked over to the Kogarah hill after the game with many of them wearing T-shirts adorned with his name and photos to celebrate the occasion.

Kiama Oztag took seven Kiama Phantoms representative teams to the Oztag State Cup in Coffs Harbour from last weekend , with the Senior Mixed Opens team making it to the quarter-finals before bowing out.The Kiama Phantoms entered teams in the omen’s 20s, Men’s 20s, Mixed Opens, Men’s 30s, Men’s 40s, and, for the first time ever, a Women’s 37s side - something Kiama Oztag coordinator Keiron Duncan described as “unreal”.“It’s amazing to see women deciding to play representative tag in their 30s. It just proves that it’s never too late to start,” Duncan said.Duncan said while all teams were competitive, the state competition is about more than just winning.“For a small association like ours, it’s important to get away and enjoy the experience. It’s about having fun with your mates and making lifelong friends. When you walk around the fields and catch up with people you haven’t seen in a long time, that’s what makes it special,” he said.The senior mixed team. “You get to have a beer, socialise, and enjoy the friendly rivalry. Winning is great, but it’s the mateship and camaraderie that really make the experience worthwhile.”Duncan is in New Zealand with several other Kiama locals who are representing Australia in the Australian Tagaroos.“I don’t even know the exact number, but the local talent here in New Zealand is amazing. Local Paul Emerson has also been named as the Australian Tagaroos ambassador for the tournament, which is fantastic,” he added.He encourages people of all ages to try out representative competitions, stressing that they are truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences - and as the Women’s 37s team proves, it’s never too late to get involved.“I don’t know anyone who’s participated, whether junior or senior, and hasn’t had a positive experience. Especially with our association, we’re doing things right and creating an environment where everyone can compete while having fun. Whether you’re 10 or 40, I recommend giving it a go,” says Duncan.

Local tennis player Ellen Perez returned to Kiama earlier this week to fine-tune her game after flying in from Florida.The 29-year-old from Shellharbour, who is 15th in the world in the women’s doubles rankings, was bundled out of the WTA tournament in Miami at the Round of 32 stage.Along with her new doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko, they were seeded fourth at the tournament. They won the first set 6-4, lost the second 6-2 then bowed out 10-7 in a third-set tie-break to American duo Peyton Stearns and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Ostapenko, from Latvia, has had a career-high world ranking of No.5 in singles.Perez, who was born in Wollongong and learned how to play the sport as a junior with the Oak Flats Tennis Club, has reached 162 in the world in singles and the seventh ranking in doubles.Joe Moseley and Ellen Perez at Kiama.Her earlier than expected exit from the WTA tournament in Miami gave her an opportunity to quickly return home to see her parents John and Mitsi, and family.She also took the opportunity to catch up with her local hitting partner Joe Moseley, the Kiama Tennis Club coach, who was able to put her through her paces in a very solid workout.Perez has been selected in the Australian team coached by Sam Stosur for the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup. She will be joined by Maya Joint, Ajla Tomljanovic, Storm Hunter and Kim Birrell to compete in Group D of the competition at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on 10 April. After a short family visit, she travelled to Melbourne for training with the team before their first match against Kazakhstan and then Colombia.By David Graham

A record number of young surfers will take to the water at the NSW South Coast Junior Regional Titles at Jones Beach on Sunday, 30 March.Forty-eight surfers from Kiama, Gerringong, Ulladulla, and Culburra boardriders clubs, ranging in age from under 12 to 18, will compete at the Junior Titles.Jo Collinge, South Coast Regional Director for Surfing NSW, says the event provides an excellent opportunity for young surfers to kickstart their competitive careers."It's a fantastic entry-level competition. Many of the kids will have done boardriders before, so they’re familiar with the heat format. But in those events, the atmosphere is often more relaxed, and the competition rules aren't strictly enforced. For many, this will be their first serious competition - a chance to experience what it’s like to compete against some of the best surfers in the region,” says Collinge.Successful competitors at the Junior Titles will advance to the State Titles in Coffs Harbour in June, with the opportunity to progress further to the Australian Titles.A competitor at last year's Junior Regional Titles. Photo: Leonie MurphyLast year, three girls from the region made it all the way to the Australian Titles. Collinge expects the under-16s and under-18s girls’ divisions to be particularly competitive this year.“We’ve got a really strong group of girls in the region. Lani Cairncross made a great showing at the NSW state titles last year. Lucy Darragh recently won her age group for Surfing NSW, and Alice Hodgson is another name to watch. It's going to be exciting,” says Collinge.While a small swell is forecasted for Jones Beach on Sunday, Collinge is hopeful that the larger swells predicted for next week will arrive early.A competitor at last year's Junior Regional Titles. Photo: Leonie Murphy"The primary location is Jones Beach, but we have backup spots at Bombo, Werri, and Surf Beach. The exact location will depend on the conditions, and we’ll announce it on the surfingsouthcoast Instagram account. Everyone is welcome to come down and watch,” says Collinge.Surfing NSW South Coast is a not-for-profit organisation seeking local business sponsors to help continue supporting surfers in the region and enable them to reach their full potential."We really encourage surfers of all abilities to have a go and get involved. It's a great way to see what competitive surfing is all about and decide if it's something you'd like to pursue. At a young age, there’s still plenty of time to become a high-performance surfer,” says Collinge."Many surfers who started at the regional titles have gone on to compete in the Qualifying and Challenger Series."Collinge praised Gerringong's Natural Necessity Surf Shop who donated prizes for the winners of the competition at the last minute. "We are stoked and so grateful for their last minute support," she says.Spectators can watch the action live at the beach, and the heat draw and live scores will be available on Liveheats. If you're interested in supporting Surfing NSW South Coast, get in touch at [email protected].

Yet another former Gerringong Lions junior is hitting the big time in the NRL with young second-rower Dylan Egan making his debut for St George Illawarra on Saturday against Melbourne.The 20-year-old forward will line up on the interchange bench alongside his childhood friend Hamish Stewart with another Gerringong product, Tyran Wishart, starting at halfback for the Storm.It’s a proud day for the Group Seven club and it comes after Egan also signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday.The new deal will keep him at the club until the end of the 2027 season.St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan said Egan deserves his crack at first grade after impressive performances in the junior representative ranks and at NSW Cup level.“Dylan has been on a path towards NRL for a long time and it’s great to be able to both extend his contract at the club and give him an NRL debut at the same time,” Flanagan said.Dylan Egan playing for Gerringong. Photo: Game Face Photography“He’s a local junior who has come right through our pathways and Academy system.“As a player he’s got a big motor and can play on an edge or in the middle.“He’s got a great work ethic and a smart approach to his game and we’re really pleased to be able to extend his time at the club.”Egan played two seasons of Harold Matthews Cup and two seasons of SG Ball Cup with Illawarra.He was the captain of Illawarra's SG Ball outfit in 2023 and made the leap up to Jersey Flegg and the NSW Cup later that year.In 2024, the 20-year-old played in 1871 of a possible 1,920 minutes at Knock-On Effect NSW Cup level making 849 tackles – the highest among all Dragons and third in the competition – at near 96 per cent efficiency whilst tallying 11 line breaks and 45 tackle breaks.Egan captained Kiama High School’s open rugby league side to a grand final win in the NSW State Combined High Schools competition, the University Shield, in 2022.The Kiama High team in 2022.He was also named player of the tournament.After being mobbed by teammates when it was announced that he would be tackling the Storm this weekend, Egan called his mum to let her know the good news.“It means a lot to me and my family. And I’m just keen to go and do you proud on the weekend, hopefully,” he said.“It’s the club I grew up supporting and I’m very excited to put the jersey. Watching Hamish in Round 1 too, I know how much it means and I’ll try and do the same.”

Parenthood certainly agrees with Gerringong’s Reuben Garrick after the Manly centre enjoyed a bumper weekend after switching from the maternity ward to the NRL field.Garrick and his fiancee, Riley Wishart, welcomed their daughter Elsie into the world on Saturday before he had to back up the following day to play for the Sea Eagles against Canberra in their Round 3 clash at 4 Pines Park in Brookvale.Despite the unusual build-up to the match, Garrick put in a starring display as Manly registered a resounding 40-12 win.He scored the opening try of the match before adding another one just before half-time.The 27-year-old speedster touched down two more times in the second half as the home side ran away with the match. Garrick also booted six conversions from seven attempts for a personal points tally of 28, the second highest of his career.After rising through the ranks at the Lions, he played for the Steelers and St George Illawarra in the NSW Cup for a couple of years before he was signed by Manly in 2019.Garrick made his NRL debut that year, playing 26 matches in his rookie season, and has chalked up 139 appearances in the maroon and white.His four-try effort against the Raiders lifts his career tally to 82 and with 1214 points to his name, Garrick has already risen to third in Manly’s list of all-time scorers.Garrick is likely to pass former premiership-winning captain Jamie Lyon (1410) in the next year while he is a chance to overhaul club legend Graham Eadie’s record of 1917 which has stood for more than 40 years.The 28 points he put on the Green Machine was not quite the best of his time in the NRL - he notched 30 from three tries and nine goals in a 58-18 win over the Dolphins two years ago."What a 24 hours, huh?" Manly coach Anthony Seibold said when asked about Garrick’s busy weekend. "It's a great experience for him and Riley as first-time parents. I think he can be a really elite centre and a great goal-kicker." Garrick will line up at centre again at Brookvale this Sunday when Manly are red-hot favourites to continue their hot start to the season against the winless Parramatta Eels in a clash between two of the NRL’s longest rivals.

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