NSW Junior Reps

North Coast Bulldogs 2025 Season Preview

by
ourfooty
11/01/2025

North Coast Bulldogs Laurie Daley Cup (Photo - Steve Montgomery)

North Coast Bulldogs 2025 Season Preview

Author : Daily Telegraph

North Coast Bulldogs 2025 Season Preview

Andrew Johns Cup and Laurie Daley Cup

ANDREW JOHNS CUP

Captain: TBC

Coach: Geoff Batten

Last season: 4th in Northern Pool (1-4)

Why they will be competitive: After both Johns and Daley Cup sides finished fourth out of five teams in last year’s Northern Pool, the Bulldogs have tweaked their approach for 2025 by placing a greater focus on fitness and foundational skills.

“We’ve tried to teach them a lot in a short time,” said coach Geoff Batten. “Usually by this point they’ve absorbed everything you’ve put into them and we get to start to mould a bit of a squad. They’re reacting pretty well.”

Indeed, in addition to the training, Batten said the nature of the squad and the competition for starting spots will put the team in good stead ahead of round one.

“I just think we’ve got a bit more balance,” he said. “Last year we had some size that we hadn’t had for a while but I think that blinded us a little bit. We had some flair but we lost that early (through injuries).

“But this year I think we’re just a lot more consistent across the squad. There are a lot of like for likes and that brings a lot of competition into the squad to try and get those spots for round one. I think we just look more balanced across the entire squad.”

Key fixture:

Northern Tigers (Away – Round 4). With both zones falling under the Canterbury Bulldogs’ pathway system, there is more than just bragging rights on offer when these two teams face off, with the young guns fighting it out for attention as scouts from Belmore cast their eyes over the regional rep competition.

Players to watch:

One to impress so far in the pre-season is Port Macquarie back-rower Cooper Bannon. A powerful runner and solid defender, Bannon was selected in the NSWCCC side last year and looms as a key player for the Bulldogs.

Elsewhere, Wauchope’s Noah Langdon has shown not only his ability at fullback but also fantastic leadership skills in the group, while Sawtell half/five-eighth Javier House looms as a key playmaker for the side.

He’s looked comfortable at that next level with training and what we’ve learned – he’s taken all of that on,” said Batten.

Squad:

Aiden Lockwood, Aiden Hardy, Angus Bowen, Axl Pope, Bailey Pickvance, Chayse French, Connor Laverty, Cooper Bannon, Deion Cafe, Jairah Sheppard, Javier House, Kai Sjoberg, Kaleb Zamore, Koby Bedwell, Levi Newton, Logan Clarke, Malakye Clark, Mason White, Mitchell Hornick, Noah Langdon, Rafferty Gordon, Rhys Carrington, Rilye Schafer, Xavier Fittock.

LAURIE DALEY CUP

Captain: Toby Batten

Coach: Peter Wood

Last season: 4th in Northern Pool (1-4)

Why they will be competitive: Some underwhelming results in previous years has prompted the Bulldogs to alter their approach in 2025, with a more sharpened focus on game fundamentals expected to result in improved performances.

We’ve really focused on the one per centers, the things that have led to errors and cost us in games, and we’ve really upped the ante with fitness and strength,” said coach Peter Wood. “We’ll wait and see how that pans out.”

In particular, the coaching staff have kept a close eye on attitude and the willingness of their young guns to keep on pushing when the going gets tough.
“You look at their attitudes towards training and towards the hard work,” said Wood.

“How many of them grit their teeth, bite down on their mouthguard and have a crack? That’s what the pre-season that we’ve just gone through is about.

Key fixtures: Northern Tigers (Away – Round 4) and Central Coast Roosters (Away – Round 3). While the round four Bulldogs development derby with the Northern Tigers is always one that is pencilled into the calendar early on, the team will be looking forward to testing itself against one of the junior rep heavyweights in the Central Coast Roosters.

“There’s a bit of a rivalry with the Central Coast as well,” said Wood. “I always feel there’s a little bit more on the line when we play against the Roosters. In the last few years each time we’ve played them it’s only been a matter of two or four points.”

Players to watch:

The Bulldogs will have one of the most talented halves pairings in the competition in the form of Rielly Laverty and Toby Batten.

Long identified as gun juniors, the pair enjoyed breakout seasons playing A-grade football for Macksville and Nambucca respectively in the Group 2 competition in 2024, and have since been called down to Belmore to take part in Canterbury’s summer training squads.

They’ve got some eyes on them and are making themselves very well known. It’s a pleasure to work with those kids. They’re not just talented footballers, they’re good human beings,” said Wood.

It’s their attitude, it’s their application to training. They’ll do extras, they’ll go down to the park by themselves to practice their kicking for hours. When they do it on the football field everyone goes, ‘Oh wow, they’re pretty talented.’ But they put in the work.”

Elsewhere, another player looking to take his game to the next level is tough-as-nails middle forward Gus Single. A good ball-carrier and excellent defender, Single played the entire Group 2 season in first grade for Macksville and will look to set the platform for his halves.

Squad:

Aidan Langham, Alfie Walsh, Antwone Quinlin-Randall, Brennan Cuffe, Cale Ogilvy, Cooper Lorger, Cooper Armfield-Stevens, Gus Single, Jesse Stevens, Jett Hanson, Karl Turner, Koby Toomey, Laine Paulson, Logan Bes, Rave Brazier, Rielly Laverty, Sam Schilt, Sam Eggins, Tashiem Abbott, Tim Broderick, Toby Batten, Tyler Abbott, Tynan Forsyth, Wes Le Rougetel, Zayne Shute