New Dragon Shenae ready to tick Magic Round off the bucket list

This weekend in Wagga Wagga has been on Shenae Ciesiolka’s bucket list since a knee injury forced her to miss the inaugural NRLW Magic Round in Newcastle 12 months ago. 

The new season has Ciesiolka in new colours at the Dragons after six years and two premierships with the Brisbane Broncos. 

“It will be my first Magic Round and I think it’s a really cool idea and a very important round to have us all together in the same spot, the same weekend,” Ciesiolka told NRL.com. 

“We all get a good look at each other as we approach the halfway mark of the season and we can all feed off that energy. 

“It’s awesome to see the women’s game has grown so much to have our own Magic Round and it’s awesome that we get to do that in a rural location like Wagga.” 

Dragons fans will be feeling similarly uplifted at Ciesiolka’s form at centre that previously won her a Queensland and Australian jersey. 

Playing on the right edge, Ciesiolka swung over to the left to put winger Jayme Millard over in one of the standout moves of the match against the Bulldogs last weekend.

“Not really a roving licence for me, that was just one of our set moves off a scrum that worked today,” she said. 

“I still want to get my hands on the ball as much as I can and hopefully help the team by doing that.” 

Although the Dragons fell 28-8 to the blue and whites, Ciesiolka was at her attacking best with three line break assists and two try assists. 

“Obviously we had a slow start to the season and I was a little disappointed with my first couple of games,” she said. 

“I wanted to go out there and get back to being confident and playing good footy. We didn’t get the result as a team but I’m happier with my performance.” 

The Dragons will need that as they try to improve on a 1-3 start to season 2026. 

Ciesiolka brings that winning culture from the Broncos, Jillaroos and her two Origin series wins with the Maroons in 2023-24. 

“It’s obviously quite difficult but very important that we do stick together and believe in one another and have each other’s back,” she said of her Dragons teammates. 

“We are still very positive as we move into Magic Round.” 

Ciesiolka can still keep the smile on her face knowing it’s the unbeaten Roosters that the Dragons are taking on in Wagga Wagga. 

That brings the 28-year-old up against her old Origin foe in Isabelle Kelly. 

“Most definitely, I’ve played a lot against Isabelle and it’s easy to see what a strong competitor she is, always very tough to handle," she said.

“But I look forward to that challenge. She’ll be on my mind this week.”