St George Illawarra Dragons back Jayden Sullivan set to star with Junior Amone’s future uncertain

With Junior Amone’s future uncertain following his arrest, the Dragons have some decisions to make at half for 2023. So who are the candidates to take the mantle?

Jayden Sullivan is set to play five-eighth.

Three months after wanting out of the club, Jayden Sullivan may now hold the key to St George Illawarra’s hopes getting back into finals contention.

Sources have told The Daily Telegraph that the Dragons have begun planning for the possibility of a season without Talatau ‘Junior’ Amone, who could be stood down by the NRL following his alleged hammer attack on a rooftop last November.

The young five-eighth has been charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum 14-year jail sentence that could invoke the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy.

That would immediately open the door for Sullivan to nail the starting spot he craves, having dramatically backflipped on a request to be released from the remaining three years of his deal during the off-season.

Young Dragons half Jayden Sullivan.

Sullivan, 21, was heavily linked with a move to Canterbury before withdrawing his release request. Now, with Amone due to face court on January 18 and his playing future uncertain beyond that, teammates have backed Sullivan to partner Ben Hunt in the halves.

“If called upon I’m sure he would do a really good job for us,” veteran utility Moses Mbye said on Tuesday.

“I think Sully (Sullivan) is ready to play first grade. He got a taste of it last year and the year before and he did a really good job for us.”

Amone resumed pre-season training when the squad returned from the new-year break last week as he awaits his day in court.

The 20-year-old was arrested after allegations he armed himself with a hammer and joined his father in confronting two roofing contractors near their family home in Warrawong.

The club is no stranger to losing players to the league’s stand-down policy, having been forced to be without forward Jack de Belin for more than two years.

With or without Amone, front-rower Blake Lawrie said the players had no excuses not to perform this season and emerge as a finals contender.

Talatau Amone.

“(Junior has) been good at training... I’m not commenting much on that,” Lawrie said.

“Obviously make sure he’s doing alright, but that’s about it.

“We’ve got a job to do. We’ve got to go out there and win games. We’ve got no excuses for us as a club. We’ve had our fair share of ups and downs over the last couple of years.

“We’ve got to go out there and get this club back to playing finals and give our fans what they deserve.”

The team is set to start trials against UK champions St Helens and then South Sydney next month with the club’s halves options running pretty thin.

The versatile Mbye could be another option for coach Anthony Griffin to consider, while second-rower Jack Bird has also previously spent time at the scrumbase.

Mbye, a former Queensland representative, has had experience in the halves at his previous stops in Canterbury and the Wests Tigers.

“Whoever gets that No.6 jersey, if Junior does get stood down, they’ll deserve it,” Lawrie said.

“They’ll put their best foot forward throughout the trials and training and come round one, whoever’s there, I’ll have full faith in them.”

The potential unavailability of Amone comes after it was revealed incumbent fullback Cody Ramsey is also battling illness.

The 22-year-old was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis which may put an end to the young star’s career, leaving the Dragons with more headaches ahead of their 2023 campaign.

Originally published as St George Illawarra Dragons back Jayden Sullivan set to star with Junior Amone’s future uncertain