Official 2020 Extended Training Squad

Spoonman84

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2013
Messages
17,736
Reaction score
31,795
The 2020 pre-season is underway and while many of the club’s more experienced players are yet to return to the training field, a host of rookies will join the NRL team over the summer as part of an extended training squad.

Jackson Topine, Kurt Picken, Javvier Pitovao, Bailey Boindi-Odo, Kane Jackson, Frank Kuresa, Chris Patolo, Wyatt Reynolds, Toa Mata’afa, Kayne Kalache and Aaron Schoupp will all spend time over the summer working alongside the Bulldogs NRL Top 30.

The 11 players listed are available for the club’s Jersey Flegg or Canterbury Cup sides and will benefit from the full-time training schedule.

Jackson Topine, a local junior and student of Easts Hills Boys High was the club’s 2019 SG Ball Player of the Year. A talented back rower who captained the NSW under 18s side and led the Australian Schoolboys team to victory over the Junior Kiwis. Jackson is contracted with the club until the end of 2022.

Kurt Picken, a talented 18-year old centre who is a graduate of the club’s High-Performance Youth Program, as well as the Harold Matthews and SG Ball teams. Kurt will be a first year Jersey Flegg player in 2020.

Javvier Pitovao, a hard-running back rower will captain the club’s Jersey Flegg team in 2019 and was named Player of the Year. He averaged over 100 running metres per game, as well as having a 92 % tackle efficiency rate and has shown himself to be one of the brightest prospects coming through the system. A New Zealand under 18 and schoolboy representative who will be in his third season at the club in 2020.

Bailey Boindi-Odo joins the club from the Parramatta Eels. The talented half who hails from Innisfail played the full season with the Eels Jersey Flegg side as a 17-year old in 2019. He is a Queensland under 16s Indigenous representative and a goal kicker.

Kane Jackson, the nephew of former Australian and Queensland Maroons centre Brent Tate, arrives at the club from the Sunshine Coast Falcons. A centre who was a member of the Falcons Hastings Deering Colts Grand Final winning team and a player who can play in the halves or at hooker.

Frank Kuresa, a powerful winger who can find the try line. He has spent the past two seasons with the club’s Jersey Flegg team and played a handful of matches with the Bulldogs Canterbury Cup side in 2019. A member of the Queensland under 20s squad who will be entering his third season at the club in 2020. Kuresa scored 13 tries from 17 appearances for the under 20s side.

Chris Patolo, a local junior from the Bankstown Sports club is a talented edge back rower or middle forward. A member of the 2019 SG Ball team who represented the NSWCCC side in 2018. Patolo will be a first year Jersey Flegg player in 2020.

Wyatt Reynolds, a prop forward from the Sunshine Coast Falcons club played every game for the premiership winning Hastings Deering Colts team in 2019. A try scoring prop with great leg speed, was named the best forward for the Falcons under 20s side.

Toa Mata’afa impressed in his first season for the club’s Canterbury Cup side, scoring six tries from 17 appearances and averaging 130.7 running metres per game. He also came up with seven try assists and 36 tackle breaks during season 2019. Toa was a member of Samoa’s World Nines squad, as well as the Oceania Cup squad. A talented back who can play anywhere in the backline.

Kayne Kalache, a local junior from the St Johns Eagles club is a middle forward and has been part of the Bulldogs Junior Representative programs having played for the Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams, before making his way into the club’s Canterbury Cup side in 2019. Kalache played International Football this season having represented Lebanon against Fiji during the representative round, as well as at the inaugural World Nines.

Aaron Schoupp joins the club from the Illawarra Steelers for the next three seasons. A first year under 20s player in 2020 and a former Australian under 15s and NSW under 16s centre. The talented goal kicking outside back scored a try in the Steelers 2019 SG Ball premiership win and was also a member of the NSWCHS side this season. A strong ball carrier who was schooled at Illawarra Sports High.

https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2019/11/14/2020-extended-training-squad/
 
Last edited:

Mitch Connor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Premium Member
SC Top Scorer
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
27,680
Reaction score
8,761
Credit to the club for being more open with this type of info they have been guilty of keeping stuff like this in house. It’s a nice change.
Newcastle released something similar yesterday and I tweeted the Dogs saying this is the content fans like to see, it's not hard..

They release this the very next day and knock it out of the park.
 

Dawain87

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
1,270
Reaction score
2,215
Newcastle released something similar yesterday and I tweeted the Dogs saying this is the content fans like to see, it's not hard..

They release this the very next day and knock it out of the park.
Agreed!! All us die fans want to know whats the future of the team and granted not all of them will play first grade its still good to know who we have in the wings waiting.
 

Apercots

Kennel Established
Gilded
Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Messages
827
Reaction score
1,114
Glad to see the schoup rumour was true, looks like a future star
 

kap123

Kennel Established
Joined
Mar 17, 2019
Messages
829
Reaction score
1,537
If we had all eligible players for Jersey Flegg in the same team, it is very talented side. Hopefully a few of them come good...
 

B-Train

Kennel Immortal
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Messages
32,591
Reaction score
48,171
That was a great read which shows the potential we have at the club...

If one or more of these kids impress enough to be called into FG later in the year if we're out of contention again, what is the process?

Would they have to be moved to a development spot and then a vacant top 30 spot?
 
Last edited:

JUNKYARD DOGS

Kennel Addict
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
7,086
Reaction score
3,601
That was a great read which show the potential we have at the club...

If one or more of these kids impress enough to be called into FG later in the year if we're out of contention again what is the process?

Would they have to be moved to a development spot and then a vacant top 30 spot?
Before June would need to be in Top 30. After June Training / Development squad can be utilised.
Unless injuries in Top 30, then it gets a little messier.
 

Mitch Connor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Premium Member
SC Top Scorer
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
27,680
Reaction score
8,761
Peni Teaupa had some real big wraps coming through last year. Made all the rep sides, bit surprised that he isn't getting a pre season? Still at the club?
 

Cosmo24

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
2,699
Great comms from the club. Gives us fans a few more names to keep an eye on and watch them develop.
While any juniors can be talked up, this type of communication will hopefully give the young lads a confidence boost heading into the pre-season
 

vegny

Kennel Enthusiast
Joined
May 12, 2017
Messages
1,655
Reaction score
1,186
Can add doorey, averillo and tass to that list and we have ourselves a good batch to work on in the next couple of years.
Looks like devontai is not progressing as well as expected by some
 

diddly

Kennel Enthusiast
2 x Gilded
Premium Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2016
Messages
4,585
Reaction score
6,548
Good to see Chris Patolo being recognised with this opportunity. Whilst others like Jackson Topine have been getting lots of attention , and rightly so, Patolo has been consistently good throughout junior reps.
I still don't understand the clubs philosophy re Development Contracts - if anyone here has an insight into the decision making with those contracts I would love to know. People involved in junior development at other clubs have suggested to me that the Dogs are using the development contracts to free up space elsewhere - they did the same last year - in other words decisions are made based on pre existing contract arrangements rather than opportunities for the best and brightest.
 

CrittaMagic69

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Gilded
SC H2H Champion
2 x SC Draft Champ
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
72,477
Reaction score
77,729
Good to see Chris Patolo being recognised with this opportunity. Whilst others like Jackson Topine have been getting lots of attention , and rightly so, Patolo has been consistently good throughout junior reps.
I still don't understand the clubs philosophy re Development Contracts - if anyone here has an insight into the decision making with those contracts I would love to know. People involved in junior development at other clubs have suggested to me that the Dogs are using the development contracts to free up space elsewhere - they did the same last year - in other words decisions are made based on pre existing contract arrangements rather than opportunities for the best and brightest.
Could this be why we lost Tommy Talau? Saw he wasn't getting the opportunity he deserved so went off to the Tigers and made his debut at 19 and is in contention to start the season in the 17.

Anyway it's good that the club is finally uploading some quality content that we actually want to see.
 

wendog33

Kennel Immortal
Premium Member
Ladder Champion
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
24,741
Reaction score
27,950
Could this be why we lost Tommy Talau? Saw he wasn't getting the opportunity he deserved so went off to the Tigers and made his debut at 19 and is in contention to start the season in the 17.

Anyway it's good that the club is finally uploading some quality content that we actually want to see.
We want 'em to play 'em as well.
 
Top