Mudgee fans will get a glimpse of arguably the game’s next big thing when St George-Illawarra hosts Kalyn Ponga and the Newcastle Knights in 2019.
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After the official NRL draw release on Thursday morning, the Novocastrians were confirmed as the Dragons’ round 10 opponents at Glen Willow on May 19.
It’s the second year of a two-year deal the St George Illawarra club has to bring NRL games to Mudgee’s multi-million dollar sporting complex.
Ponga enjoyed a phenomenal rookie year at Newcastle, breaking through to make his State of Origin debut with Queensland.
The 20-year-old fullback will headline a Knights side on the rebuild, with former NSW Blues half Mitch Pearce, premiership-winning Roosters pair Aiden Guerra and Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Dubbo-born half Connor Watson.
The Dragons hosted the Canberra Raiders in 2018, with a healthy crowd of 8962 packing the Mudgee venue to see the hosts down the visiting Green Machine 25-18.
The Dragons will also bring the Charity Shield to Glen Willow on March 2, where they’ll play the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the annual pre-season fixture.
The competition proper match is one of five taken to country areas in 2019, with Bathurst landing the Melbourne Storm in round three at Carrington Park.
Penrith has a long-running association with the Bathurst but 2019 will be the Storm’s first venture to the Central West.