St George Illawarra sign Steelers juniors to long-term deals

Junior Amone, Tyrell Sloan, Josh Coric and Jackson Shereb-Schmidt, all members of the last year's SG Ball-winning side, will remain in the Dragons system for the next few years.

Amone and Sloan will join the full-time roster as development players in 2021, while Coric and Shereb-Schmidt are earmarked for promotion ahead of the 2023 season.

Read more: Man who saved the Hawks, Mat Campbell, leaves general manager's role

The group join fellow SG Ball teammates Jayden Sullivan, Mat and Max Feagai with Dragons contracts.

Amone partnered Sullivan in the halves throughout the 2019 season, the teenager scoring the go-ahead try in the 34-23 grand final victory.

Sullivan impressed on debut in last month's win over Melbourne, with many tipping him to be a mainstay of the first grade side for years to come.

A Wests Illawarra junior, Amone attracted interest from multiple clubs before ultimately deciding to remain with the Dragons.

"Partnering up with Jayden Sullivan in the halves of the SG Ball premiership-winning team, Junior has been a part of our succession planning for a while now," Recruitment manager Ian Millward said.

"Junior is a player who typifies exactly what we want to develop through our pathways; he has a great attitude and his attention to detail remains strong."

Sloan is a Dapto junior who has represented the NSW Under 18s side. He's a skilful outside back the club hopes will continue to develop physically in the coming years.

The teenager has signed a three-year deal and is earmarked to join the top squad in 2023.

St George Illawarra football manager Ben Haran has confidence the pair will eventually follow Sullivan and Max Feagai in making their NRL debuts.

"It's exciting for the club and the players themselves to continue their development at the Dragons," Haran said.

"For them to progress to the NRL squad having previously won an SG Ball competition together is pleasing.

"They will come into an environment where they can all be comfortable in each other's company, which will hopefully provide them all a great opportunity to continue their careers as a collective and hopefully win premierships at the highest level."

Both Coric and Shereb-Schmidt have signed four-year deals, the forwards to join the development squad ahead of the 2023 season.

An Albion Park product, Coric is considered an intimidating presence in the middle of the field.

Shereb-Schmidt, originally from Kandos, near Mudgee, is tipped to develop into a talented edge forward.

"Josh (Coric) has reached a level in his game that prompted the club to include him in our succession planning," Millward said.

"He's a rough, tough front-rower from Albion Park down in Group 7 and he'll continue in our system which we're certainly excited for."

"Jackson is tall and rangy, and a player we see can add a bit of size in the back row within our succession planning."