Jason Taylor returns as Head Coach of our KOE NSW Cup team and will be supported by strong off-field staff including Pat Weisner (Assistant Coach/Recruitment), Brent Banning (Trainer), Steve McGuire (Manager), Darren Allard (Manager), Andy Davies (Strength & Conditioning), Tara Dighton (Head Physio), Jack Turner (Analyst) and Joel Scrivener (Analyst).
On field, we welcome back to the red & black for another big year Kieran Hayman, Josh Bergamin, Toa Mata’afa, Jesse Marschke and Regan Hughes. Between them they have over 200 NSW Cup games under their belts and bring a wealth of knowledge, strength and a brilliant sense of humor to the team.
Our Head of Player Recruitment, Pat Weisner, has secured a list of strong new talent for our Knock On Effect NSW Cup team for 2023. The club has increased our contracted players by 60% while also strengthening our partnership with the Hills Bulls. We have one more year remaining on our contract with the Sydney Roosters and balancing the combination of NRL returning players to the squad with our own players will be important for on-field performance in 2023.
“Scouting the nation for the best new talent to join the Bears has been my highest priority for a few months now. We have been able to lock in a number of players with strong NRL experience. Although we will still be welcoming back Roosters players into our team each week, ensuring we have high quality contracted Bears players to draw on week in and week out is essential to our team’s performance next year” said Weisner. Head Coach Jason Taylor commented “We are all pumped to be starting training this week and to welcome a heap of new faces to the Bears. Having increased the number of Bears contracted players for 2023 means our training sessions output will be raised and this should reflect to our performance on the field.”.
Check out the current signing’s announcements below >>
2023 Bears Signed Players:
Alfred Smalley |
Ben Marschke |
Ben Seufale |
Ben Stevanovic |
Dane Aukafolau |
Dane Francis |
Felix Niutili-schmidt |
Fetalaiga Pauga |
Harrison Leonard |
Joshua Bergamin |
Jesse Marschke |
Joshua Bergamin |
Joshua Rizk |
Kieran Hayman |
Kruz Niutili-Schmidt |
Kurt Deluis |
Logan Aldridge |
Matthew French |
Mitchell Francis |
Morgan Mcwhirter |
Phillip Makatoa |
Regan Hughes |
Reuben Porter |
Sean Garner |
Tevita Masima |
Toa Mata’afa |
Tyran Ott |
Vito Tevaga |
William Fakatoumafi |
Zach Dockar-Clay |
Hills Bulls contracted players who will be training and playing with the Bears in 2023: Dion Narayan, Jerry Key and Victor Tereszko. Welcome back lads!
Bringing with him strong top league experience having played 14 games with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2022, Zach Dockar-Clay joins the red & black for the new year. This all-round utility player, born in New Zealand, had a whopping 92% tackle efficiency in NSW Cup in 2022. Welcome Zach!
Another player with solid NRL experience, having played 12 games with the Manly Sea Eagles this year, Kurt De Luis joins the Bears. Kurt was also third in KOE NSW Cup for forwards in metres gained per game (158) and ran over 2000m in just 13 games this season. Guy is currently doing pre-season with the Roosters NRL team. Welcome Kurt!
Moving over to the Bears in 2023 is the big second rower Dane Aukafolau. Dane is currently doing pre-season with the Sydney Roosters, has 91 NSW Cup games under his belt and was named the Mounties NSW Cup Players Player in 2022. He also came in at 3rd in NSW Cup for offloads (33) to go with his 54 tackle breaks during the season this year. Welcome to the Bears Dane!
This young yet powerful & skilled Centre/Fullback joins the Bears in 2023 having come over from the Penrith Panthers pathways. Originally from New Zealand, Fakatoumafi is currently working hard in pre-season at the Sydney Roosters and will fall back into red & black sessions early next year. Welcome to the Bears William!
After making his NRL debut this year with the Manly Sea Eagles, this powerful winger is excited to be joining the Bears. Also boasting NIUE International experience and features in the top 10 for tackle breaks over the last two NSW Cup seasons, Smalley brings with him grunt and skill to our wings. Welcome Smalley!
Swapping orange & black stripes for red & black in 2023, Junior Pauga joins the Bears. This outside back also brings NRL experience having played with the Wests Tigers and came in at 4th in NSW Cup for tackle breaks this year (89). Welcome Junior!
With Mounties pulling out of NSW Cup for 2023, we were lucky to pick up this strong pop Ben Seufale. Ben came in at fourth place amongst forwards for tackle breaks in the 2022 KOE NSW Cup comp (54). Welcome Ben!