Feagai by my side: Brothers bond set to form lethal left-edge

Max and Mat Feagai haven’t shared an edge since their 2019 SG Ball premiership and four years later the twin brothers are set to stand side-by-side on the Dragons' left side.

Replacing regular centre Zac Lomax at No.4 for Sunday’s Magic Round clash is a huge task for Dragons junior Max but the 22-year-old will be in familiar territory when his brother Mat lines up right alongside him.

Having been linked with the club since they were 13-years-old, Sunday’s Magic Round clash will mark a special occasion for the Feagai family as the two utility backs not only take the field together for just the third time in their careers but will form an edge-pairing for the first time since 2019.

“I think it makes things feel a lot more comfortable, standing inside Mathew in my first starting spot in the Centres, just knowing I’ve got him outside of me and Junior (Amone) inside me,” Max told NRL.com.

“We both grew up playing centre on both sides of the field and when we moved up here and started playing SG Ball they were happy for us playing next to each other and we were happy to play there too.

“We give it to each other a fair bit and let each other know where we’re mucking up or anything like that, so I think that’s going to be the biggest thing, the way we talk to each other and communicate on the field.

“We’ve done a lot of work together so I’m just excited to get out there and rip in. It kind of does add a special feeling to it all.”

It will be a 2019 Grand Final reunion of sorts for Feagai with hooker Jayden Sullivan, fullback Tyrell Sloan, five-eighth Junior Amone and brother Mat all featuring in the Steelers 2019 SG Ball Cup Grand Final.

After overcoming multiple setbacks with injury since making his debut back in 2020, the Leeton product said it's comforting to know he has already built combinations with majority of the Dragons' spine as he prepares to play just his eighth NRL game.

“It’s the best feeling to play with people you're comfortable with and have already built a combination with. We all came through the grades together so now it’s just about getting back into it,” he said.

“It’s been a long couple of years having not much played NRL, so performance wise I was just happy with the fact that I walked off the field last week and my teammates were happy with my performance so I’ve just got to look forward to this week coming.

“I’ve played centre majority of my football but I think it makes things feel a lot more comfortable to be standing inside Mathew in my first game starting there, just knowing I’ve got him outside of me.”

Meanwhile, brother Mat said after watching his twin battle a fractured fibula and high-grade syndesmosis injury last season, it will be a special occasion to stand alongside Max when he takes the NRL field for the first time as a centre.

“We haven’t played on the same side since we were 18, so I’m really looking forward to that. It’s a credit to Max too, he’s worked really hard to get to where he is now and has faced a lot of adversity…I can’t wait,” Mat said.

“It’s something we’ve always spoken about, being able to play on that same edge and it’s finally happening.

“He’s a headache," he joked. "But it makes my job a lot easier. It’s super comfortable having just had that connection we’ve always shared.

“He sprays me a bit but it goes back and forth. Just like twins and brothers do, we fight a bit and it carries out to the field but it’s all for the better.

“Obviously, it’s his first crack at centre and it’s a different ball game when you get to grade, it’s a big step up from (NSW) Cup but I’m sure he’ll take it with two hands and showcase what he can do.”

Having felt the heartbreak of four-consecutive losses - in which all were decided by six points or less - Mat hopes several changes to the side can help the Dragons rediscover their winning ways against the Wests Tigers this weekend.

“We’ve come off the back of a couple of tough losses, ones we were a bit unlucky to not walk away with the win,” he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about winning and we’ve just struggled in that part of the game lately.

"As a group, everyone’s just kind of trusting Hook (Anthony Griffin) with what he’s decided to go with and no one’s really kicking stones which is a good sign.

“Everyone is just working really hard because as a team and a club, we just need to start winning some games.”