Ultimate preview: Players and teams to watch in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup 2023
The Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup returns in 2023 with six teams looking to battle it out for premiership glory. Check out every team previewed and the players to keep an eye on this season.
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The Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup is gearing up to commence for its 2023 season on the 22nd of April.
One of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, the 2023 Illawarra Cup is to be contested between just six teams, two shorter than last year with the absences of Helensburgh Tigers and Cronulla Caringbah.
Collegians will be looking to go back-to-back-to-back, having taken out the competition last season and in 2019, with no winners crowned in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid.
NewsLocal has talked to every side ahead of the competition’s commencement, check out the preview and players to watch for the six teams.
Collegians
Coach: Peter Hooper
Captain: Blake Phillips
Home ground: Collegians Sporting Complex
Players to watch: New to the club is Callum Gromek who has experience playing for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the Jersey Flegg Cup and the Sydney Roosters in the NSW Cup. He’s been looking super fit and has put in a lot of work over the summer to be a damaging fullback for the Collegians. Josh Dowel is another looking to back up a stellar 2022 season which saw him awarded the Presidents Cup Player of the Year. A prop forward who has turned into a super fit player capable of playing the full 80. His brother Blake Dowel joins him in the forward pack, also operating on big minutes from the edge.
Surprise packet: Callan Briggs comes to the club from the Macquarie Scorpions. A young player with plenty of potential, playing an explosive brand of footy from the outside backs, while having the utility factor of being able to shift anywhere in the backline.
Biggest strength: Coach Hooper identifies the balance of experience and youth as their biggest strength, showing the side has the future in mind with their recruitment.
Why they will be competitive: Looking to go back-to-back-to-back, the Collegians are the hunted in this year’s competition. They have a group that maintains high standards and is very competitive, with strong forwards and clever backs ensuring there is no weakness on the field. The fitness of their forward pack has come a long way over the off-season, with a number of boys capable of playing big minutes from the front. Coach Hooper says the talent is there which makes his job easy in that it’s simply down to game management, as the stars do the work themselves on the field. Junior development is a big focus at the club, with plenty of talent itching to get up into first grade. They’ll be tough to beat.
Last season: Premiers
Premierships: 12 – 1967, 1987, 1996-98, 2004-05, 2007, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2022
Corrimal Cougars
Coach: Drew Keys
Captain: Bill Ryder
Home ground: Robert Zeims Park
Players to watch: Young Kiwi hooker Zach Riley is growing into a crucial piece of the Corrimal puzzle. After a solid 2022 campaign, he has come on leaps and bounds this year after a big pre-season and is expected to step up his game even further in 2023. Another to keep an eye on is Vialame Mahe. The local junior is highly energetic and brings excellent workrates to the side from the lock position.
Surprise packet: Danny Yates comes to the side in 2023 having played the best part of the last decade in the UK with Rochdale and Batley. He brings a bit of age and experience to the side which is much needed. He will miss the first month of the season with injury, but the halfback will no doubt be a surprise weapon when returns.
Biggest strength: Despite some tough times in 2022, the Corrimal side remains glued together on and off the field, showing great camaraderie and resilience that will hopefully do them good in 2023.
Why they will be competitive: The Corrimal Cougars ended the 2022 season with 0 wins from 12 games, so it goes without saying that there is room for improvement. Despite this, captain Ryder believes his side can shock some people this year and that they’re not just there to make up the numbers. Former Newcastle Knights and NSW five-eighth Jarrod Mullen is a big recruit for the side as well, bringing experience on and off the field. Both the coach and captain believe there’s a new competitive edge to the side this year and the players they’ve recruited have merged with the existing side well. Corrimal could surprise in 2023.
Last season: Seventh
Premierships: 2 – 1948, 1974
Dapto Canaries
Coach: Blake Wallace
Captain: Troy Pieper
Home ground: Dapto Showground
Players to watch: Former NRL centre Brad Takairangi returns to home soil in Illawarra after signing for the Canaries for 2023. Having experienced the highest levels of footy playing for the Sydney Roosters, Gold Coast Titans, Parramatta Eels and Hull KR, he has a wealth of invaluable experience and a positive effect to the side on and off the field. Josh Vaartjes is another to watch this year in his return to the club, having been a dominant front rower for a number of years now. Regarded by his coach as the fittest in the club, he leads the team through his effort on the park and has the experience of winning the Cup in 2016.
Surprise packet: Young halfback Harry Chater was the most improved player for the Canaries in 2022 and is looking to bring that form into this season. Coach Wallace sees him as the kind of player that “could steer the team around for the next ten years if he wants to,” so the club clearly value this young talent.
Why they will be competitive: The Canaries want to go on and do bigger things in 2023 and believe their recruitment can play a big part in that. There’s a lot more experience gained over the off-season, plus the juniors who were given a crack last year will be that little bit more experienced coming into this season. Coach Wallace believes if his side can play the good brand of footy they are setting out to play, as well as closing out games more effectively than last season, there’s nothing stopping them from making finals.
Last season: Sixth
Premierships: 17 – 1966, 1968, 1975-77, 1979, 1982-83, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000-02, 2006, 2016
De La Salle
Coach: Luke Manahan
Captain: TBA
Home ground: Captain Cook Oval
Players to watch: Tyla Tamou returns to the club having played for the Newtown Jets for a couple of years. Having played juniors at the club, it will be exciting to see the electric fullback back in De La Salle colours. Jack Williams is another big recruit for De La Salle who returns to the club he played juniors for. With experience training on a developmental contract with Cronulla, St George and Parramatta, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the halves.
Surprise packet: Returning from a stint in rugby union, Dylan Hema has looked massively impressive in the trials, with a ton of speed and strong defensive ability. He brings a bit of x-factor to the centres and wings.
Why they will be competitive: Coach Manahan values the uninterrupted pre-season his side has had and feels his side have recruited well over the off-season. The quality of their training has been up a level this year and the side is very well prepared. With a strong squad of juniors beneath them as well, there’s an improved depth to their ranks. Manahan feels they were unlucky last year having been in the top two for nearly all the year, so his side are driven to improve and firmly believe they can take it all out in 2023.
Last season: Fourth on ladder, lost in minor semis
Premierships: 0
Thirroul Butchers
Coach: Jarrod Costello
Captain: Hayden Crosland
Home ground: Thomas Gibson Oval
Players to watch: Halfback Tarje Whitford had a breakout season in 2022, claiming the league’s top honour in the Paul McGregor medal. Coach Costello is excited to see him combine in the halves with new recruit Jarrod Boyle who comes to the club from Mittagong Lions. The former Collegians player has proven himself in the league already and will look to bring some experience to the spine. Boyle will reunite with his former teammate Wayne Bremner, as they look to reignite an exciting connection in the spine.
Surprise packet: Kaleb Hocking is a local junior coming into his third year of first grade. The middle forward had hamstring issues last year but has come into this pre-season firing on all cylinders.
Biggest strength: The leadership and experience in the spine for the Butchers will no doubt prove crucial, with acquisitions of Boyle and former NRL player Bradley Deitz bolstering their strength.
Why they will be competitive: Coach Costello thinks the off-season business of the club has been effective in improving their squad depth. He also notes the side has had a strong and undisturbed pre-season with a number of impressive trials. They recognise the increased quality of competition but expect that they’ll be right up in the mix this season.
Last season: First on ladder, lost in finals week two
Premierships: 9 – 1940, 1954, 1973, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2014
Western Suburbs Devils
Coach: Peter McLeod
Captain: Mitch Porter
Home ground: Sid Parrish Park
Players to watch: Fresh recruit for the Wests Devils is fullback Wyndham Peachy, son of former NRL player David Peachey and relative of current Penrith Panther Tyrone. Recruited from De La Salle, Peachey is a naturally gifted footballer who can play in fullback or five-eighth, an exciting acquisition for the side. Halfback Justin Rodrigues is another that will be pivotal to the success of the Devils this year. The Maltese international is a leader on the field with his direction play, providing great experience and ultimately steering the ship.
Surprise package: Jy Hitchcox is set to bring his experience to competition this year, having played professionally in England and France for the last decade. He brings quality from the wing and will look to catch oppositions napping.
Biggest strength: Captain Porter thinks the camaraderie of this group of lads sets them apart from the rest. It’s well and truly a team first mentality, everyone works for each other with no individuals wanting to hog the spotlight.
Why they will be competitive: The Wests Devils will be out to avenge their grand final loss from 2022 this season. They’ve made steps to improve their team with their off-season business, ensuring they now have strike power all over the field. They have plenty of experience within their ranks, such as the likes of Hitchcox, Rodrigues and another ex-NRL player in Grant Millington. They are aware of the increased intensity of the league but believe if they can turn up and play their brand of footy every week, they’ll be right up there in contention again this season.
Last season: Second on ladder, lost in grand final
Premierships: 16 – 1957, 1959, 1969-72, 1978, 1980-81, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2009-11, 2018
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