Jamie Soward has been dumped to NSW Cup in a dramatic 24 hours for the former NSW five-eighth.

Just two years ago, Soward was preparing to make his NSW debut, now he will take to the field for the Illawarra Cutters with coach Steve Price naming Chase Stanley to partner Nathan Fien in the halves when the Dragons play Newcastle on Saturday night. The axing comes just a day after Soward was granted a leave of absence from the club.

On the outer: Jamie Soward of the Dragons. Credit:Getty Images

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Soward had arrived at the joint-venture club's Wollongong base with the expectation he would take part in the team's usual video session on Monday morning but he was given time off after Price consulted Soward and senior players in the aftermath of St George Illawarra's dramatic 16-14 loss to the Bulldogs last Friday night.

Soward is expected to return to St George Illawarra training on Wednesday after the team had a break from training on Tuesday. Nathan Green and Matt Prior have been named in the centres with Matt Cooper still out with a toe injury.