The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

All is set for Red V finals campaign

Will the Dragons make the eight? (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Roar Guru
30th August, 2017
10

After a 7-1 start to the season, as a passionate Dragons fan, I was dreaming of a return to the glory days of 2009-11 where we dominated the competition. But alas, an untimely knee injury to Gareth Widdop destroyed those early season hopes.

Widdop’s absence and the pre-season loss of rising playmaker Drew Hutchinson exposed the Dragons’ lack of depth in the halves.

Kurt Mann, a utility, was forced to play alongside Josh McCrone who is best described as workmanlike – although that’s probably an insult to tradies everywhere.

McCrone is inconsistent, frustrating, and won’t be missed when he heads off to the Toronto Wolfpack in 2018.

So the Dragons bumbled their way through the Origin period and came out the other side, and despite some forgettable losses against also-rans in the Rabbitohs and Knights, they have somehow found themselves staring at the possibility of finishing in seventh spot, despite beginning Round 26 down in ninth.

The Cowboys, Sea Eagles and Panthers are also fighting it out for finals places, but the Dragons should be favourites out of all four to qualify.

The Cowboys, sans Johnathan Thurston, are brave, but ultimately will fall to the Broncos, leaving them on 30 points.

The Sea Eagles and Panthers will duke it out at Lottoland, and the Sea Eagles will get the job done, moving them up to sixth spot on 32 points.

Advertisement

The Panthers will sit in seventh and the Cowboys in eighth, both on 30 points and enduring a nervous wait to see if their season ends or is extended into the finals.

Come Sunday afternoon, the Dragons will beat the Bulldogs, who, with a number of players already confirmed to be leaving, have looked uninterested in recent weeks.

[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby-league” name=”Rugby-League”]

James Graham would be a great pick up for the Dragons, and a stellar game on Sunday should be enough to convince the Dragons he is worth it.

He would bring plenty of experience and facial hair to the club, and perhaps teach Jack De Belin a thing or two about growing a beard.

So, the Dragons will enter Sunday still in ninth position, but just two points behind both the Cowboys (8th) and Panthers (7th), so by beating the Dogs they will qualify for the finals with an excellent for and against of +87, superior to both the Panthers (+61) and Cowboys (+34).

It’s a remarkable situation, given the number of games they have fluffed, and yet they still find themselves in touch of the finals and, after such a bright start to the year, it will be great to see them live up to their potential.

Advertisement

It will be a special occasion on Sunday, and I plan on heading up early to grab a good spot on the Eastern side – which has now been deemed unreserved seating – and scoffing down some $2 pies.

It’s a shame the boffins in charge have taken 26 rounds to realise they need to encourage people to get to the game, for much of the season there have been too many reasons not to go.

close