2024 Local Footy NSW Signings Tacker: All the latest big name movements from local leagues
Stay up to date with the latest big name signings across local rugby league competitions across New South Wales, including a former NRL enforcer returning to NSW.
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Welcome to the 2024 Local Footy NSW Signings Tracker.
Here we will stay up to date with the latest big signings from across the state in your favourite local league.
VETERAN ENFORCER RETURNS TO NSW
Sam Kasiano has found a new home with the Dapto Canaries for season 2024 after departing the Warrington Wolves following 2023.
The 33-year-old played eight seasons in the NRL, seven of which were with the Bulldogs and the final with the Storm.
He then went abroad and played four seasons with the Catalans Dragons before moving to the Wolves.
The big prop forward also played six games for New Zealand and five for Samoa.
Kasiano is set to reunite with former Samoa teammates Joey Leilua and Pita Godinet at Dapto, as well another former NRL player in Aaron Gray, as the Canaries continue to assemble quite the roster for the 2024 Illawarra Cup.
VETERAN FLYER LANDS AT THIRLMERE
Former Parramatta and Newcastle Knights winger Ken Sio has joined forces with Thirlmere in the Macarthur Rugby League competition after spending the past five seasons in the English Super League.
The 33-year-old veteran returns to Australia with 104 matches for Salford under his belt, including a grand final defeat to St Helens at Old Trafford in 2019.
Among his 78 four-pointers for the Red Devils, Sio topped the chart as Super League’s leading try-scorer in 2021.
His arrival at the championship winning Roosters outfit comes in good time after the departure of several high profile stars.
DEVILS REPLACE ONE NRL JOURNEYMAN WITH ANOTHER
NRL journeyman Tautau Moga has linked up with the Western Suburbs Devils in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup for season 2024.
The 30-year-old most recently played NRL level footy for the Dragons in 2023, following a decade in the top flight in which he played at six different clubs.
From 2019, the versatile edge player mostly operated out of reserve grade, making just 87 first grade appearances across his career.
His arrival at the club comes after the news that Devils’ marquee signing James Segeyaro has back out of his decision to join the club, as confirmed on club socials earlier in the week.
COOGEE LANDS ‘BIGGEST EVER’ SIGNING
The Coogee Dolphins may have pulled off the biggest signing in Souths Juniors history.
Yesterday the club announced the coup of former Rabbitoh, Bulldogs and Kiwi international Roy Asotasi.
The 217-game NRL veteran will have two main roles at Coogee.
“Roy will be working with out elite players to help them break into junior representative and NRL pathways teams, and will also be playing A-grade for the mighty Coogee Dolphins,” a club statement read.
Asotasi is regarded as one of the most important signings in South Sydney’s history, their first big name recruit to join for the 2007 season following a change in ownership at the club.
He played a key role in helping them to their first finals series since reinstatement in 2002, going on to play 24 internationals for New Zealand as well.
The front rower will be in the conversation of the best ever players to feature in the Souths Juniors competition following first grade retirement.
ROOS POUNCE ON EX-ORIGIN STAR
The big off-season signings continue at Campbelltown City with the Kangaroos announcing Eric Grothe Junior as the new women’s head coach for the 2024 Macarthur WRL season.
With former Wests Tigers star Ava Seumanufagai recruited as men’s captain-coach, the addition of Grothe is a sign the club is primed for a solid season across the board.
Since playing his final NRL match in 2010, for the most part, the former Eels, Roosters and NSW Origin star has distanced himself from direct involvement in the game until last season, when he guided the Camden Rams women’s side to the preliminary final.
Now in charge of a promising City squad, the Kangaroos stand a good chance of building on last year’s 4-6 record where they just fell short of qualifying for the finals.
REBELS SIGN STAR FROM CROSS-TOWN RIVALS
The South Grafton Rebels have scored a huge coup ahead of the 2024 season by signing experienced hooker Todd Cameron from cross-town rivals the Grafton Ghosts.
A multiple grand final winner and former Group 2 Player of the Season, Cameron is a huge coup for the Rebels in what is a return to his junior club.
“I’m stoked to have Toddy back over on the south side,” said Rebels coach Ronnie Gordon. “I played with Toddy when he made his debut in first grade back in ‘08, so it’s going to be great to have him back in the dressing sheds with us.”
While his personal connection with Cameron certainly didn’t hurt, Gordon said family dynamics may well have been a key factor in enticing the hooker to switch sides, with Cameron’s wife Sammy a longtime Rebels league tag player.
“They’ve got a little family now so I think it would be a lot easier for them to both turn up at the same ground every weekend,” said Gordon.
And while the Rebels have been one of the competition’s big guns in recent years, winning the 2022 grand final and claiming last year’s minor premiership, Gordon said that Cameron’s acquisition will have far broader impacts beyond the playing field.
“That experience is massive – you can’t weigh that. But it’s also his toughness, he’s a really good trainer, he’s an effort player and he’s a good clubman. He really helps with our club culture and what we’re building at the club,” he said.
“We know we’re a long way from where we want to be and having Toddy on board really helps speed that up.”
FORMER NRL PROP RETURNS TO BOYHOOD CLUB
Former Manly Sea Eagles interchange forward James Hassan is set to return to his boyhood club De La Salle in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Club.
The 31-year-old made 39 NRL appearances for the Sea Eagles before travelling abroad to play for Salford and Wakefield in the UK.
The Ireland international first played for De La Salle in under-8s in 2000, dominating as a junior and making his first team debut at the age of 17.
He’s now set to return to the Caringbah club that won the minor premiership in 2023.
SUPER LEAGUE STUD JOINS TIGERS
The Entrance Tigers have continued their off-season signing spree with a key forward joining the ranks.
David Fifita has put pen to paper to stay on the Central Coast, a very handy addition following the earlier announcement of Blake Austin.
The Tongan international brings 19 games of NRL experience with the Cronulla Sharks, as well as over 150 games with Wakefield Trinity in the English Super League.
He played 12 games with Wakefield this year after joining the The Entrance earlier this season.
The duo gives the Tigers an experienced core who will give them genuine premiership credentials in the powerful Newcastle competition.
NRL JOURNEYMAN RETURNS HOME
Newcastle club Wests have scored a coup by signing former NRL player Will Smith for the 2024 season.
A 95-game veteran who played for Penrith, Parramatta, Gold Coast, Hull and the Wests Tigers, the 31-year-old will return to his junior club after a 10-year professional career.
As a local junior, Smith won’t incur any points to the Rosellas under the Newcastle Rugby League points system in what is a huge boost for the club.
He is one part of a significant former NRL connection at the traditional heavyweight club, which is coached by former Newcastle Knights mentor Rick Stone and features former Newcastle and Penrith halfback Luke Walsh in its playing squad.
With some star signings for the 2024 season, Wests will be hoping to challenge Maitland and break the Pickers’ recent stranglehold on the competition.
OLD BAR PIRATES SNAP UP RISING TALENTS
The Old Bar Pirates have ramped up their quest for back-to-back Group 3 titles in 2024.
After knocking off Port Macquarie to take this year’s crown, the Pirates have announced the key signings of Drey Mercy and Jaxson Longa to strengthen their roster.
Mercy was part of the South Sydney Rabbitohs pathways last year, spending time in the centres and second row during a stint in Jersey Flegg.
His portability saw him help Matraville reach a grand final in the Souths Juniors competition, falling just short against Redfern.
Longa is a North Coast Bulldogs talent who progressed to Hastings Deering Colts level last year with the Tweed Seagulls.
He returns to the Pirates and will be right up there with their leading scorers if he can replicate his feats on the wing from this season.
ANOTHER FORMER NRL STAR JOINS ILLAWARRA CUP
Samoan international Joseph Leilua is returning to footy on Australian shores after he was announced as a marquee signing for the Dapto Canaries in the Illawarra Cup.
Leilua most recently played for the Featherstone Rovers in England, following over a decade of playing in the NRL with Roosters, Knights, Raiders and Tigers. In this time, the centre crossed for 95 tries.
Since finishing up in the NRL, Leilua has also turned to boxing, defeating former NRL player Chris Heighington and scheduled to fight Paul Ben in early December.
The Dapto Canaries boasted three former NRL players in the 2023 season, with the likes of Pita Godinet, Brad Takairangi and Aaron Gray all lining up in the yellow and blue of Dapto.
With Gray already announcing his resigning for the club in 2024, it’s possible Dapto will now feature an all-former NRL centres combination with Gray and Leilua, depending on where coach Blake Wallace chooses to inject his wrecking-ball new signing.
Dapto narrowly missed out on finals in 2023 with a fifth-place finish, but no doubt will be eyeing up the top half of the ladder with this new signing.
CAMDEN RAMS WINGER RETURNS TO SUNSHINE STATE
Young Camden Rams flyer Kienan Power-Tempest has played his last game for the Macarthur club after deciding to return to Brisbane to further his career in the Queensland Cup with the Souths Logan Magpies.
A multiple try scorer in Camden’s grand final loss to Thirlmere, the former Australian Schoolboy spent the early part of last season with the Wests Tigers in Jersey Flegg.
Still only 21, the highly skilled speedster is a major strike weapon at either wing or centre and leaves a big void in the Rams’ squad.
FORMER NRL STAR HEADING TO THE CENTRAL COAST
The Entrance Tigers have claimed a huge coup by signing former NRL and UK Super League star Blake Austin for the 2024 season.
The 32-year-old, who played more than 120 NRL games with Penrith, the Wests Tigers and Canberra, is returning to Australia after a five-year stint in England, which saw him play for Warrington, Leeds and Castleford.
Born in Sydney and with English ancestry, Austin represented City in 2015 before going on to play two games for Great Britain in 2019.
A skilful and powerful five-eighth who is still in good shape at just 32, Austin will be a huge boost for the Tigers, whose top team plays in the Newcastle Rugby League Denton Engineering Cup competition, widely regarded as the best regional league in the state.
The signing is a statement of intent from the club, who finished fifth this season and qualified for the finals.
“We are super excited to have Blake at the club, he is a big, mobile five-eighth that will add a wealth of talent to an already impressive back line,” the club said in a statement.
“Blake’s ability and knowledge of the game will go a long way in mentoring our younger halves to ensure we are strong in both the Denton Engineering Cup and Central Coast Competitions.”
10-YEAR NRL VETERAN JOINS CITY KANGAROOS
The Campbelltown City Kangaroos have announced the signing of their new head coach, with former Wests Tigers star Ava Seumanufagai joining the club as captain-coach for the 2024 season.
Seumanufagai, with 141 NRL appearances across three clubs brings a wealth of experience and joins the Macarthur outfit following a successful season with the Leigh Leopards in the English Super League.
The injury ravaged Kangaroos finished 2023 near the foot of the table, but with the enforcer’s signature the proud club can already see the light.
“During the later part of my career I have become interested in coaching,” said 32-year-old Seumanufagai.
“I turned down a few other options because I see this as a good stepping stone, and I still get to play. Down the track I’d love to work my way towards the NRL, but I know it’s a hard gig and spots are limited.”
SCORPIONS STRIKE TWICE
The Macquarie Scorpions have bolstered their stocks ahead of the 2024 Newcastle Rugby League season with two key signings from Macarthur premiership winning side the Thirlmere Roosters.
Strike fullback Hayden Sutton was named player of the Macarthur grand final and has already had a taste of NSW Cup action with Penrith. He’s joined by fellow speedster and super-slippery hooker Mitchell New.
Both head north with aspirations of cracking a spot with the Knights in the NSW Cup.
DEVILS BOLSTER STOCKS WITH NRL JOURNEYMAN
Western Suburbs Devils have signed former NRL hooker James Segeyaro for the 2024 Illawarra Cup season.
Segeyaro made over 150 NRL appearances for five different clubs, most recently playing abroad with the Bradford Bulls in England.
The bulk of his NRL caps come for the Penrith Panthers, where he played 70 times and scored 26 tries.
The 32-year-old from Papua New Guinea is the latest former NRL player to join the Devils ranks, having boasted three former first-graders last season in Sosaia Feki, Jy Hitchcox and Grant Millington.
The no. 9 role was by no means a weakness for the Devils in 2023, with Joseph Dickson one of the form hookers of the competition last season, so it will be interesting to see where Segeyaro integrates in the squad.
The Devils finished in third place in 2023 and were eliminated in the semi finals.
KYOGLE MAKES MASSIVE TRIPLE-SIGNING
They may have picked up the last two wooden spoons in the NRRRL but the Kyogle Turkeys have wasted no time making a statement about their ambitions for next season with a string of key signings.
In a huge coup for the club, Kyogle has secured the services of key players Oliver Regan, Ryan Walker and Josh Beech for its 2024 campaign.
One of the best players in the competition in recent years, Regan joins from 2022 premiers Bilambil.
A NSW Country representative with experience in the Queensland Cup, Regan has been part of the one of the NRRRL’s top clubs of recent years, with his quality and experience at fullback set to be a huge boost for the Turkeys.
Building on this signing is the inclusion of Ryan Walker. The brother of NRL star Cody Walker, Ryan himself played a handful of NRL games for the Penrith Panthers in 2011.
After several years playing for Maitland and Western Suburbs in the Newcastle competition, Walker returned to the Northern Rivers this year to captain-coach his hometown club Casino, while also making a few appearances for the Tweed Seagulls in the Q Cup.
As someone who can play in the halves, at fullback as well as in the back row, Walker will offer Kyogle with plenty of versatility.
In addition, the club has sought to add some steel to the forwards with the acquisition of established front rower Josh Beech.
Joining from Evans Head, Beech is a powerful forward who’ll help to bolster the Turkeys’ pack, which will also see the return of enforcer Deon Bianchetti.
WOY WOY SIGN ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL
The Woy Woy Roosters have declared their intent to challenge for next year’s Central Coast Women’s Premiership after signing English international Charlotte Booth for their 2024 campaign.
A three-time Challenge Cup winner in the UK who represented England at the 2017 World Cup, Booth made history by becoming the first Englishwomen to be paid to play rugby league in Australia when she made the move to the West Brisbane Panthers in the Queensland competition in 2020.
Since then, she has also played for South Sydney in the NSW Women’s Premiership and will bring plenty of experience and quality to the Roosters’ side next year.
The signing is not only a coup for Woy Woy but the competition at large, with the CCRL running its hugely successful inaugural women’s tackle competition this season.
Seven clubs joined the competition for its first season, with Berkeley Vale making history by taking out the minor and major premiership.
Woy Woy finished in fourth place and was knocked out in the minor semi-final, however with Booth on board the Roosters will be hoping to challenge for the title in 2024.
BRENNAN AIMS TO CONTINUE NEWCASTLE DOMINANCE
Newcastle has firmly established itself as the dominant league in New South Wales, and they’ve employed a big name to keep that status intact.
The Newcastle Rebels representative side will be coached by Garth Brennan as they look to go back-to-back in the Country Championships.
Brennan cut his teeth with the Knights as a pathways mentor for Harold Matthews, Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup before getting his first NRL gig with the Gold Coast Titans in 2018.
He briefly returned to Newcastle as the head of pathways in 2022.
WOOLFORD TO LEAD PICTON RESURGENCE
After completing a second coaching stint at the Queanbeyan Blues, Simon Woolford has agreed to terms with Picton in the Macarthur Rugby League for the 2024 season.
Since hanging up the boots in 2008 after a distinguished 262-game NRL career with the Raiders and Dragons, the former hooker has taken to the clipboard culminating in a three-year stint at Huddersfield in the English Super League.
The Magpies are the most successful club in the Macarthur competition, and despite missing the finals last season are once again expected to field a strong roster.
FERGO MOVES NORTH
Blake Ferguson is on the move to the Newcastle competition after linking with the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
The 250-game NRL veteran has played at all levels of the game and was most recently spotted with the Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers at the Koori Knockout.
That came on the back of stints with Thirlmere and his hometown of Wellington last season.
The news generated a groundswell of interest on social media with the club’s post announcing his signing generating 2,800 reactions and over 500 comments.
Ferguson was one of the most devastating outside backs in his prime, culminating in representing New South Wales and Australia.
GORRELL TAKES REINS AT WAGGA
Former Dragons and Broncos hooker Aaron Gorrell will lead the Wagga Brothers as head coach next season.
After leading the Riverina Bulls to the Men’s Country Championship final earlier this season, the 60-game former NRL player will look to revitalise the Brothers in 2024.
The club didn’t field a first grade side last year, with their reserve grade team winning just one of 14 games, so Gorrell faces a task to bring them back to being competitive in the top flight of a strong Group 9 competition.
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