'Looks like a real competitor': Dragons teenager announces himself with two 'magnificent' moments

It's been a tough period for Dragons supporters, but teenage halfback Kade Reed showed why the future is bright at the struggling club.

The 19-year-old, getting a rare taste of what NRL feels like, started in the playmaking role during Saturday night's 28-18 trial win against the Knights.

After an error-riddled opening 10 minutes, it was Reed who broke the game open with a beautiful piece of individual brilliance to score St George Illawarra's first try.

READ MORE: Cowboys gun's perfect return after 12-month injury absence

READ MORE: Aussie golfer 'as close as we've seen' to epic 25-year first

READ MORE: 'Wonder boy' stuns legends at 14 with 'absurd' century

Reed took the ball to the line before passing to Tyrell Sloan and giving the speedster some room to move and shuffle it on to centre David Fale, who then linked up back inside with Reed and the halfback grubbered for himself to score.

The local junior earned some high praise from the recently-retired Kieran Foran, who was impressed with the youngster's courage to take the game on.

"He hasn't been afraid to chance his arm … he looks like a confident young halfback," Foran said on Fox League commentary.

"That's what you want to see in these young halves coming through at your club, you want to see them have the ability to try things and chance their arm.

"What we saw there from young Kade, that was awesome work."

The lead didn't last long for the Dragons as Fletcher Sharpe had his own piece of brilliance in the 16th minute when he put Kyle McCarthy over for a try.

The back-and-forth opening half continued when Dragons recruit Setu Tu pounced on an error, racing away to score a long-range try.

The former Warriors winger joined the club in the off-season after performing well in NSW Cup for many years, including in the State Championship on grand final day.

Matt Arthur - the son of former Eels coach Brad - showed his class at hooker when he placed a deft grubber kick for Brodie Jones to score Newcastle's second try.

It was then Sandon Smith set tongues wagging with a pinpoint cut-out pass for James Schiller, who scored an athletic diving try in the corner.

"That was a beautiful pass over the top, doesn't get much better than that," Foran said.

Smith looked all-but certain to score a try of his own when he took an intercept and raced away, but he was ran down by Reed who dislodged the ball.

"Magnificent - not just the tackle, but to jolt it free," Dan Ginnane said on commentary.

"The trials always unearth an unknown and tonight, it's this little No.7 Kade Reed." 

It led to a bit of argy bargy between the two teams, but Reed - who is smaller than the majority of his rivals to say the least - didn't back down and went back at Smith.

"How good was that? Sandon is no slouch, he can move," Foran said.

"This young guy Kade Reed, he looks like a real competitor. He has chased him the length of the field and chased him down with a great tackle." 

Reed is locked in with the Dragons until the end of 2028 and while Daniel Atkinson will get first crack at the halfback role with Kyle Flanagan alongside him, he and Lyhkan King-Togia will be nipping at their heels all season for a shot in the top grade.

His desperation play saw the scores locked at 12-12 at half time as both sides looked to build on new combinations at Kogarah Oval.

Josh Kerr put the Red V in the lead in the 49th minute, but Thomas Cant put the Knights in the lead with 15 minutes remaining in a see-sawing battle.

The lead switched hands again with 10 minutes to go when Mat Feagai latched onto an ordinary pass from Tyson Gamble and raced away for an intercept try.

"That was easy pickings there," Steve Roach said on commentary.

Hayden Buchanan and Tyrell Sloan put the icing on the cake for St George Illawarra with less than five minutes remaining with back-to-back tries.

The last try for Sloan was courtesy of a classy face ball from Reed, who stole the show and will have plenty of Dragons fans talking about him in the coming months.

Speaking post-game, the talented Wests Red Devils junior admitted it was "surreal" to get a taste of first grade and then be interviewed by Foran and Cooper Cronk.

"Being out here with some of the boys I'm playing with and then talking with boys like you, it's hard to put into words," he told Fox League.

"It felt good - probably faster and more physical than anything I've ever played in before. It was good to finally get out there after three months of really tough training.

"It's pretty crazy to be honest, I'm a local boy and have supported the Dragons my whole life and watched every game, so it's pretty special to run out here."

Reed was then asked about his two epic plays - the grubber kick for himself and the chase on Smith, who wasn't happy with the young Dragon's post-tackle aggression.

"I played a lot of Oztag growing up and probably learned it from that, the little grubber for yourself was one of my favourites," he said.

"I probably got a little bit excited there [with the tackle on Smith], but he got me back and called me a little weasel when I got up, so it's probably 1-0 Sandon to be honest."

Both teams will play their second pre-season trial next weekend before the Las Vegas season opener on Sunday, March 1.