Written by Squadron Energy |

An exciting preview of the 2024 season, the 2024 NRL Trial match against the Wests Tigers marked the Dragons seventh consecutive pre-season game at Glen Willow Oval. The Dragons came away with a 34-18 win, a great way to prelude the season.

Squadron Energy alongside the St George Illawarra Dragons, organised a weekend full of community and family activities including a dinner and panel with players, a community signing day and game hospitality for our Crudine Ridge Wind Farm landowners and their families.

The weekend kicked off with a climb of our local wind farm at Crudine Ridge. WNRL Captain Raecene McGregor and Head Coach Jamie Soward donned PPE and steel capped boots to climb almost 100 metres to the top of the turbine hub.

Soward said going up the turbine and experiencing how Squadron generates energy was really exciting.

CRWF 00 Dragons turbine climb  
“The team really looked after us. I’ve had a really enjoyable day with Rae and to get up there for a once in a lifetime opportunity with a fantastic sponsor like Squadron Energy and all that they do in the community is really exciting.”

The night before the big game, we brought together community stakeholders including representatives from Local Government, Aboriginal Land Councils, landowners of our Crudine Ridge Wind Farm, students from some of our local schools and colleagues and players from local rugby teams.

The guests were treated to a pre-game Q&A panel session led by former Dragons winger and fullback Jason Nightingale, with Coach Shane Flanaghan, Captain Ben Hunt and Forward Blake Lawrie.

The dinner was a great opportunity to bring together members from across the community and for local students with an interest in sport to meet the players and ask questions about the game and their careers.

Image 9  

The morning before the game, footy fans from the Central West flocked to Lawson Park on Saturday 24 February for an exciting pre-match community event with members of the St George Illawarra Dragons, ahead of the Trial match.

The entire team attended the event, to connect with their supporters, sign jerseys and of course take part in a good old-fashioned game of park cricket. The morning was a huge success with smiles all around and no doubt a positive way for the players to shake off those pre-game nerves.

SQE 00 Dragons Mudgee signing session  

Squadron Energy has joined forces with the St George Illawarra Dragons as a partner in the ‘under number’ position and from 2025 Squadron Energy will become the Major Partner of the Dragons’ NRL and NRLW teams.

The long-term partnership has a focus on community with the 2024 Dragons Squadron Energy Community Blitz to be announced in the coming weeks.

The program will bring community programs to the Central-West Orana and Riverina region of NSW – where Squadron Energy has projects in operation, under construction and in development - before expanding into regional Queensland in 2025.

Find out more about Squadron's partnership with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

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