Tallon Smith

The Leeton Galloping Greens have continued adding to their roster with three players signing with the club over the opening six rounds of the Group 20 season.

Goolgowi Rabbitohs fullback Henry Taylor, Black and Whites young gun Mason Payne and PNG Digicel Cup player Jeremy Tambai have all linked with the club for the remainder of the 2026 campaign, bolstering the club’s stocks after a 3-2 start to the year.

Leeton coach Billy Dickinson said he is excited to have Taylor join the club’s roster.

“We’re pretty happy with that, obviously he’s another great player that has played a fair bit of first grade footy, so it’s another good piece that our team has got,” he said.

“He also brings a lot to the club, and that’s something that we’re really looking forward to, he’s a good fella and someone that you want around the club, so we’re very happy to have him both on and off the field.”

Despite being signed and eligible to play, Taylor is expected to complete the Proten Community Cup season with the Rabbitohs, leading to questions surrounding how many games he will play until the completion of that competition.

Dickinson said that the representative fullback will likely play more games in the back end of the season after his commitments with Goolgowi have finished.

“I think he will do his Proten commitments yet with his dad, and then we will see where we are after that,” Dickinson said.

“He might pop up a few games before then, but we will see how we are going.”

The other major addition has been that of Payne, who moves 45 minutes up the road from his previous home of the Black and Whites.

The signing of the talented forward adds extra depth to an already solid Leeton forward pack, with Dickinson telling Battlers he would rather play with than against the former St George SG Ball representative.

“He has been another great inclusion, he is another first grader that has played some good footy and he is a player that you don’t really want to [play],” he said.

“He is a hard runner of the ball and he plays 80 minutes, so it is great to have him express interest to come on board, we’re pretty happy to take blokes like that.”

Looking to this weekend, the Greenies will look to bank consecutive wins following their last start victory over Hay when they host a Yenda side coming off a bye at Leeton No.1 Oval.

After a strong 2-0 start, the Blueheelers have suffered three consecutive losses to TLU, Yanco and the Black and Whites and will be hungry for a win to get back to a level record at 3-3.

As for what he wants to see from his side, Dickinson said another complete performance is the goal, with the Greenies needing to remain on their game against a dangerous Yenda team.

“[I’m] just looking for another good game and hopefully another 80 minute performance,” he said.

“I think they are a good team and they have definitely got skills in the forwards and the backs, so it definitely won’t be an easy game, but we will see how we go and hopefully at home we can get through.”

The match kicks off at the Leeton No.1 Oval at 2:35pm on Sunday.