One of the greatest sporting privileges and pleasures in my life was watching the all-conquering St George Dragons with Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, and Graeme Langlands dominant the rugby league competition for a record 11 straight years from 1956 to 1966.
The three Immortals-in-waiting headed a galaxy of Kangaroos over the period – Ken Kearney, Norm Provan, Ross Kite, Kevin O’Brien, Tommy Ryan, Bryan Orrock, “Poppa” Clay, Barry Beath, Billy Wilson, Eddie Lumsden, Johnny Riley, Bob Bugden, Ian Walsh, Elton Rasmussen, Kevin Ryan, Billy Smith, and Johnny King.
Seven of them captained the Kangaroos – Kearney, Gasnier, Raper, Wilson, Walsh, Langlands, and Smith.
So there was an inevitability of the Dragons winning during the unlimited tackle era, leading into the four-tackle period that halted the St George run.
The club didn’t win the premiership again until the 1977 replay grand final against Parramatta – the first ended in a 9-all draw, the second at 22-0 win for the Dragons.
The club won again in 1979, beating Canterbury in the decider 17-13.
It took another 31 years before the big red V hoisted the premiership again with at 32-8 hammering of the Roosters.
Coached by the seven-time premiership winning Wayne Bennett, the 2010 success was the first for the joint venture St George-Illawarra club.
Now there’s a genuine sniff of a second St George Illawarra premiership.
After 10 rounds, the ladder has a traffic jam at the top with four clubs boasting a 7 win-3 loss record – Storm with a plus 64 for and against, Dragons plus 34, Broncos plus 24, and the Cowboys plus 15.
Right behind them on 10 points are the Roosters (plus 83), Raiders (plus 13), and the defending champion Rabbits with plus 8.
Where the Dragons stand out among the seven best contenders is their defensive record which has been the hallmark of coach Paul McGregor.
The points against currently sit as: Dragons (120), Storm (138), Roosters (143), Broncos (174), Rabits (188), Cowboys (211), and the Raiders (216).
Once they get their attack in sync, the Dragons will look even stronger.
Leading the way will be chief playmakers Benji Marshall, and Josh Dugan, both playing the best rugby league of their careers.
Marshall’s part-season with the Auckland Blues in the Super Rugby made him realise the 13-man code was his forte.
He was instrumental in the Wests Tigers winning their only joint-venture premiership in 2005, but he’s a far better player in 2015.
Dugan has thankfully lost his pain-in-the-butt image to become a major player in the competition, and will turn out for NSW in next week’s Origin 1, as will tough forward Trent Merrin off the bench.
Add the vastly experienced Ben Creagh as skipper (with over 250 games for the Dragons, 11 Origins, and a couple of Tests), Tyson Frizell, a former Welsh international, and former England international Gareth Widdop, and the Dragon launching pad is rock solid.
Widdop’s high-percentage goal-kicking, and his understanding with Marshall, will provide key moments in the Dragons premiership bid from here on in.
The big red V is ready to fire again, and Paul McGregor can take most of the credit.
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