The St George Illawarra Dragons have announced that National Youth Competition five-eighth Jai Field has agreed to terms on a further three seasons, until at least the end of 2019.
The local Shellharbour Sharks junior scored 16 tries from his 26 appearances for the Young Dragons last season and was joint runner-up for the NYC Player of the Year at the 2016 Dally M Awards.
The former Illawarra Steelers SG Ball team graduate is presently one of five members from the NYC squad who have been invited to train with the first-grade squad this pre-season.
“It’s very exciting knowing that I am going to remain here as a Dragons for the next three years and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for me,” said Field.
“Staying at the Club was a very easy decision for me to have to make in the end as it feels like home having played previously in the Junior Representative ranks and more recently in the NYC.
“I have now been given the chance to continue my learning by training alongside the first-grade squad this pre-season and it is an opportunity that I am really enjoying and will no doubt benefit from.”
Dragons Director of Rugby League Pathways Ian Millward is pleased by Field’s decision to further extend his development and tenure at the Club.
“Jai is an exciting local junior who possesses speed and the ability to both create and score tries and was one of the real standouts in the National Youth Competition last season,” said Millward.
“He has been invited to train with the first-grade squad this pre-season and has so far really impressed with the way he both competes and carries himself around the senior players as well as his work ethic.
“Jai was very much sought after by several teams but we had always identified him as part of our future succession planning and we now look forward to seeing him continue his development as a Dragon.”