The South Sydney Rabbitohs have announced their pre-season squads for the open age NSW Cup and under 21s Jersey Flegg Cup competitions leading into the 2022 pre-season training programs.
Rabbitohs Head of Elite Pathways and Player Development, Joe O’Callaghan, says 2022 will be an important development season for players in these squads.
“One of the unfortunate side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for young footballers is that they have played little Rugby League over the past two seasons,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
“Despite this interruption to their development, we’ve seen a strong desire in these players to continue their journey and to put in their best efforts to achieve their goals and, in turn, the Club’s goals in pathways football.
“We’ve made a commitment to develop players, both male and female, through our pathways program towards the NRL and we feel that we have quality players these two top male pathways teams that can develop their games further and push for NRL inclusion in the future.”
NSW Cup
The NSW Cup squad sees a number of key re-signings as well as some recruitment in key depth positions, as well as some players progressing from the 2021 Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s squad into the open age squad.
Key re-signings include:
- Trent Peoples – a Lock or Backrower who was awarded our 2021 Player’s Player award winner for KOE NSW Cup. He is back on board to bring his usual 100% effort and aggression into the 2022 campaign.
- Ben Lovett – a backrower who, even though still eligible for Jersey Flegg Cup in 2022, will move up to test himself at the NSW Cup level as well as continue his journey in our Black Rabbits Elite Player Development program. He was awarded our 2021 Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year award in 2021.
- Jacob Gagai – a centre or fullback, Jacob is a versatile and exciting outside back that played every game of our 2021 NSW Cup season before the COVIC-19 cancellation and will again look to bring that experience into season 2022.
- James Hasson – a prop or backrower who brings years of first-grade experience from both the NRL and in the UK to lead our young squad.
Key recruits include:
- Jack Campagnolo – a five-eighth that will start his journey at the Club completing a full NRL pre-season train and trial with our first grade squad after a big 2021 season featuring with Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Intrust Super Cup Grand Final, as well as being named Five-eighth of the Year for the QLD Cup competition team of the year last season.
- Izaac Thompson – a winger or centre who saw injury cruel his 2021 season, the big and strong outside back is looking to bounce back in 2022 by also starting his year on a full NRL pre-season train and trial, looking to bring his powerful running and ability to find the try line back into the NSW Cup in the 2022 campaign.
- Hugo Patterson – a young, tall and powerful front rower who was a regular for the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg Cup team in 2021. Turning 22 next season, he now joins the Club as he looks to cement himself as a regular in at NSW Cup level in 2022.
The 2022 NSW Cup pre-season squad is:
Tallis Angianga
Jack Campagnolo
Maila Chanfoon
Joshua Fepuleai
Jacob Gagai
Shannon Gardiner
Yileen Gordon
D’Arcy Hardman
James Hasson
Ben Lovett
Shaquai Mitchell
Nick Mougios
Hugo Patterson
Trent Peoples
Chaise Robinson
Jake Tago
Izaac Thompson
Marc Zaurrini
Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s
The Jersey Flegg Cup squad sees a number of players from the successful 2021 SG Ball Cup squad graduate to the under 21s team in 2022.
Key re-signings include:
- Tallis Duncan – a lock or backrower who was crowned our 2021 SG Ball Player of the Year will be completing an NRL full time training experience, bringing back that knowledge and understanding to be a key member of our 2022 Jersey Flegg Cup campaign.
- Isaiah Vailalo – a prop who was a member of our inaugural Black Rabbits Elite Player Development squad, the 2021 QLD under 19s squad representative will continue his time in this program in 2022.
- Romano Cook - a hooker who won our Most Consistent Player award in our 2021 SG Ball Cup, who not only went on to debut in Jersey Flegg in 2021 but also captain the under 21s side. He will be in for a big 2022 Jersey Flegg Cup season.
- Evan Manning – a winger who was the leading try-scorer in the entire 2021 SG Ball competition, then went on to debut in Jersey Flegg Cup and will be looking to cement a spot at this level in 2022.
Key recruits include:
- Thomas Giles – a front rower that brings a heap of experience to our 2022 Jersey Flegg Cup squad after Australian Schoolboys representation and playing regularly at under 21s level for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2021.
- Solomon Torrens – a lock or second rower arriving from the Gold Coast Titans Elite Player Development system. The 2019 Queensland Schoolboys captain is looking forward to a fresh change proving himself in the Jersey Flegg Cup competition in 2022.
- Joshua Rizk – a fullback with utility value, this exciting and versatile player has moved across after debuting at Jersey Flegg Cup level at the Wests Tigers in 2021 as he looks to cement a spot in our 17 to play regular Jersey Flegg Cup football in 2022.
The 2022 Jersey Flegg Cup under 21s pre-season squad is:
Thomas Ball
Keahlan Bray
Romano Cook
Tallis Duncan
Ryan Garner
Thomas Giles
Trent Griffiths
Maile Haumono
Brodie Henderson
Ky Hill
Lathan Hutchinson-Walters
Jacob Karam
Bailey Lam
Isaac Lanham
Etuate Laui
Harley Lester
Deijion Leugaimafa
Ben Lloyd
Jackson Madden
Evan Manning
Drey Mercy
Oscar Mezzomo
Michael Mitsias
Marco Moretti
Cooper Pereira
Keanu Ratumaitavuki
Gabriel Reweti
Joshua Rizk
Will Saunders
Simote Situati
Dion Teaupa
Jake Tobin
Penioni Tohi
Liam Tonpi
Solomon Torrens
Cruise Tweedie
Isaiah Vailalo
Charles Vaka