Latest news with #HaydenBuchanan
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How a small town is turning into an NRL breeding ground
A medium-sized venue is all that's needed to hold Gerringong's entire population, but the tiny town may have produced yet another NRL star. Former Australian and NSW centre Mick Cronin is probably the most famous name to come from the town, about a 90-minute drive from Sydney. It has also produced players such as the Sims brothers, the late Peter Ford, Australian international Rod Wishart and Parramatta five-eighth Ron Quinn. Now Gerringong's Hayden Buchanan may become the next name to make an impact on rugby league. He starred on debut for St George Illawarra, scoring a try and setting up another in Saturday's 22-14 upset win over Cronulla. So just what's happening in the 4100-person town of Gerringong? "I don't know, something weird's going on down there," Buchanan said. "It's people like Scotty Stewart (coach), Johnny Ford (coach) and Mick Cronin. "From a young age, they've instilled a certain level of discipline, toughness and competitive nature, and it just follows through. "When I was 16 and didn't have a licence, (teammate Dylan Egan) drove me to every single academy session. "They've brought Hamish, Dylan, myself, Ashton, the four people this year from the club." Of current NRL players, Manly's Reuben Garrick, St George Illawarra's Hamish Stewart and Dylan Egan, New Zealand Warriors' Jackson Ford, Melbourne's Ashton Ward and Newcastle's Kyle McCarthy also came from the town. Buchanan said he was still relishing the "priceless moment" when he scored his first try. With about 50 of his fans watching from the stands, he strolled over untouched after fullback Clint Gutherson generously handed him the ball. However, the 19-year-old didn't even think he would get a call-up from coach Shane Flanagan, let alone a call the day before the game. Buchanan goes over on debut 💯 — NRL (@NRL) August 9, 2025 "I've been calm, frantic, but it's really good to have it done, and honestly a bit of relief. It's really amazing," Buchanan said. "I never was going to rule anything out ... but I will say this year I didn't think I'd get my debut. "If someone goes down in the captain's run, like yesterday when Michael Molo went down, you always have to mentally prepare as if you're playing." Coach Flanagan was impressed by the teenager's debut. "He defended well and he'll learn from tonight," Flanagan said. "At the back end, I think he was looking at the clock, because the last six or seven minutes he was really gassed."
News.com.au
11-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Something weird is going on down there': Hayden Buchanan continues proud Gerringong tradition in NRL with try he'll never forget
Dragons rookie Hayden Buchanan says he owes skipper Clint Gutherson more than a beer for helping him score a debut try that he'll never forget on a day the young centre became the latest product from the Gerringong Lions to make it in the NRL. The Group 7 club has produced famous names like Mick Cronin, Rod Wishart, the Sims siblings and Reuben Garrick, with the south coast town adding a few more in 2025 at the Dragons. Hamish Stewart and Dylan Egan have burst onto the scene in the forwards, while Buchanan looks to be a long-term NRL prospect after he showed off the kind of form that earnt him a place in the NSW under-19 side earlier in the year. Buchanan credits coaches like Scott Stewart and John Ford, as well as veteran players like Nathan Ford and Rixon Russell, for helping nurture local talent from a young age. 'Something weird is going on down there,' he said after he made his debut in Saturday's win over the Sharks. 'I think it's people like Scotty Stewart, Johnny Ford and Mick Cronin. From a young age, they instil a certain level of discipline and toughness and a competitive nature that follows through. 'Leaders like Nathan Ford and Rixon Russell who are still playing first grade – they've won seven first-grade comps down there – so people like them have helped bring Hamish, Dylan, myself and Ashton (Rabbitohs playmaker Ashton Ward) through. 'They are why we are who we are.' Good stuff Buck! Hayden Buchanan becomes Dragon #290 ðŸ�‰ — St George Illawarra Dragons (@NRL_Dragons) August 8, 2025 The Lions had a game on at the same time, so a few of Buchanan's closest mates weren't able to get to Kogarah to watch him play, but he still needed 50 tickets for friends and family who braved the rain and were duly rewarded. Buchanan was a late inclusion for the injured Mat Feagai and scored a crucial try four minutes before half-time when Gutherson unselfishly passed him the ball when he could have easily reached the line. 'I owe him a lot more than that,' Buchanan smiled when asked if he owed his fullback a beer. 'He put it on a platter for me and that was special. I saw him look at me and throw the pass, and he said to me straight away 'I've got you, mate'. It was a priceless moment. 'I had no idea (he was going to pass it to me). I just pushed up and hoped for the best.' Buchanan returned the favour early in the second half when he threw a brilliant offload to his fullback to score, with the young centre praising co-captains Gutherson and Damien Cook for giving him the belief to take chances. Buchanan goes over on debut ðŸ'¯ — NRL (@NRL) August 9, 2025 'People like Gutho give me the confidence to do that sort of stuff,' he said. 'One of his sayings is that you live and die by the sword, so people like him and 'Cooky' give you the confidence to think that if you make a mistake so what because at least you gave it a shot.' You could hardly wipe the smile off his face in the sheds on Saturday evening, with Buchanan proud of the journey he's had at the club he joined when he was 15. The Gerringong connection was felt during the week when Garrick and Tyran Wishart messaged him good luck, while Buchanan was super proud to have joined Stewart and Egan as the latest Lions graduates to play first grade. 'I owe a lot of this to them,' he said. 'When I was 16 and didn't have a licence, Dylan drove me to every single academy session. 'I owe both of them a lot.'
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ferocious Dragons upset Sharks to cause top four shake
Cronulla's top-four hopes have been dealt a huge blow with an upset 22-14 loss to St George Illawarra, who scored their first win over the Sharks in five years. The Sharks were touted to make a late top-four surge with a bye in hand and up against only one of the top-eight teams in the final five rounds of the regular season. Now, they will need to rely on Penrith to lose twice and the New Zealand Warriors to also drop points if they are to book a qualifying final spot. Debutant Hayden Buchanan and Clint Gutherson starred, scoring and setting up each other's tries to inspire a ferocious second-half Dragons performance at Jubilee Oval on Saturday. Buchanan goes over on debut 💯 — NRL (@NRL) August 9, 2025 But the win was bittersweet as big man Moses Suli limped off the field and had his right knee iced after coming off second best in a tackle. Will Kennedy (211 metres, five tackle busts) and Siosifa Talakai (171 metres) were big contributors for the Sharks, but ill-discipline cost them the opportunity for points as they conceded three unanswered tries. St George's season still has a very faint pulse as they need to win every match and score a significant amount of points to overhaul their negative for-and-against. Both teams started with energy in their legs, but it was the Dragons who drew first blood when Damien Cook punted the ball, finding a diving Emre Guler. Cronulla upped their intensity and tryscorers Braden Hamlin-Uele and Teig Wilton benefited. However, Wilton's try came after the bunker controversially ruled a penalty try after winger Tyrell Sloan tackled him midair. The Dragons winger had his fingers on the ball before Wilton stripped it and tackled him, video referee Chris Butler said as St George fans booed. Sloan, however, went over minutes later to give the Dragons the lead. After Gutherson's early second-half try, St George were almost perfect, completing set-after-set and using their speed to pressure Cronulla. A disallowed try to Cronulla with 15 minutes to go added to their pain, and after they conceded a penalty. Flanagan scored another two points to send the Dragons eight points clear. Cronulla had one more roll of the dice with minutes to go, but threw a forward pass, seeing out the eight-point victory margin.
