Ulladulla player named in George Illawarra Dragons' NRLW side

It's an old mantra but it certainly rings true for the St George Illawarra Dragons as they look to walk a hard path to a second straight NRLW decider.

Star Milton Ulladulla Rugby League Club junior Keele Browne looms as a key player for the Dragons come the preliminary final clash.

Browne started off the bench last week but coach Jamie Soward has named her in the run-on team for preliminary final clash against the Newcastle Knights at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, September 25.

Browne will line up in the centres and hopefully will get many chances to show her attacking brilliance.

She and the Dragons got so close to the title last season but fell short.

Soward's side dropped just one game en route to the grand final last season, a 22-18 thriller against Brisbane, and breezed through the Titans in week one of the finals.

They ultimately fell to the Roosters - who scraped into the top four on a for-and-against in the minus - but were equal favourites heading into the 2022 campaign.

It was justified but it has undoubtedly been a bumpier ride this time around.

While a round-one win over the the Titans was run of the mill, subsequent wins over the Eels and Broncos - the latter in golden point - have been a graft.

Throw in a couple of heavy losses at the hands of the Roosters and Knights, the second coming just last week, and it's a vastly different trajectory to their finals push last season.

It's something skipper Kezie Apps is well attuned to, but she's confident her side can hit top gear when it counts in the sudden-death stakes.

"It's been so much tougher [to get here]," Apps said.

"We were building last season and it felt like we were getting better and better with each game. Coming into this season, we started well, but we've hit a few bumps in the road.

"There was obviously a lot of shifting with all the teams, we've seen that with Newcastle, they made it to finals this season and they didn't win a game last season. The Roosters are just as strong as they were, if not better.

"All the [regular season] games have been really tough. We know ourselves it hasn't been our best footy that we've played which is frustrating because we know we can be better but it's also exciting that we haven't been at our best yet we're getting to our best now.

"This year's a lot different to last season, but it's exciting and there's a really great energy around the girls. They're all pumped and ready to go."

After being rested last week, Apps is part of a large returning contingent for Sunday's semi-final clash with Newcastle - Page McGregor, Talei Holmes and Teagan Dymock also back on deck.

While she admittedly needed the spell, it didn't make watching her side get blown out 30-8 by the Knights last week any easier. It was tough to witness but Apps insists there are no lingering scars.

"I didn't like sitting on the sideline watching the girls," Apps said.

"It was really tough not to contribute at all but I had a week off. I went home and recharged, saw the family so it was good to give the body a rest and I'm feeling refreshed and ready to go this weekend.

"It was probably a good hit-out for us [last week]. It was our first time playing them and we got a lot out of the game. The result obviously wasn't what we wanted but moving forward this week is the one that counts and we have to win this one to make it all the way.

"We're feeling really good coming into the week. I'd be silly to say there weren't some nerves but it's mostly excitement, it's exciting for the club to make it to semi-finals.

"That's our goal we set ourselves and the next one's the grand final. We did that last year as well and made it all the way through. It's what we're here for.

"We're literally down to 70 minutes of footy that could go either way, so there's a really great energy and vibe around the girls."