Yesterday Dean Young. Today Mark Gasnier. Who will it be tomorrow? Let’s go back, shall we? September 24 2005. A star-studded St George Illawarra Dragons outfit are at unbackable odds to defeat the fans-favourite West Tigers in a Preliminary Final and march on to defeat whoever in the Grand Final a week later.
The result?
Palms sweat, mouths twitch, neck muscles stiffen, minds wander, fingers point, noose tightens. It’s all over. Dragons vaporise. Tigers win 20-12 and march on themselves to claim the title.
Now fast forward almost five years to the day. Same two teams, same Preliminary final, same Saturday night, same expectations and many of the same players. Same result? Don’t bet against it.
We’re barely midway through the week in the lead up to this 2010 mega-clash and the Dragons players who were playing that night are coming out, one-by-one, and talking of redemption.
Dean Young was Monday, Mark Gasnier was Mr Tuesday. Three Dragon players left who played in 2005 and three weekdays to go. Pencil in the game’s second most over-rated backrower* Ben Creagh for Wednesday, Coops for Thursday and Captain Ben for Friday.
You reckon the boys are over it? You reckon?
Even Trent Barrett who played pivot for the Dragons that night in 2005, and who has played for two clubs and in two countries since, is talking to anybody that will listen about “that game”.
So you say it’s too predictable to paint the doom and gloom 2005 parallels scenario right? You say you’ve heard it all before. You say 2010 is about redemption and erasing nightmares.
You simply say 2010 will be different. For positive reinforcement you repeat mantras to yourself at every opportunity:
“It’s going to be different to 2005”.
“It’s going to be different to 2004”.
“It’s going to be different to 2006”.
“It’s going to be different to 2009.”
Maybe 2010 will be different. Maybe the Dragons will go somewhere different for their trip away and cry into the different beers there.
Fact: you can’t get Tooheys New in Uzbekistan.
Tigers by 30.
StGeorge 4 Life
Guest
Good call Junior, you must win a lot of tipping comps....not! Write something worth while next time loser
Serb Dragon
Guest
Hey Junior, Gone all quiet I see. Tigers 30+ indeed. hard to argue with some one with a football brain such as you. "There's always next year" there's a mantra for you and your beloved team.
Josh
Guest
I love this story. The Dragons fans are so easy to get a bite out of, they are the worst fans in the comp. I think It must be the years and years of promising so much but delivering little that does it to them. And all the hype etc they create just heaps mor pressure on their players. If the Tigers start well then the Dragons will loose the plot. If it's tight the dragons defence will hold on. Should be a classic.
Minh
Guest
Hahahaha this writer's smoking something and it's good too, Tiger's by 30, you want to bet on it? no didn't think so. Come Saturday night you better find a brown paper bag to hide yourself after the Saints put paid to the tigers, while your there you can put away your voodoo dolls as well as it's clear your trying to jinx the Dragons. Wont happen this time I assure you the Tigers wont win this week against Saints, I'll bet on it.
mickh
Guest
Ha Ok, I'll agree that it is a trivial point.
Ken
Guest
Not quite true mickh, although admittedly it's a trivial point, many of Souths titles were won before Grand Finals were played so while they have won the most premierships, they've actually won less GF's
mickh
Guest
Actually Saint George has won 15 grand finals. Souths have won 20. It is a shame but as part of the merger a completely new club was formed and Saint George as a club will never win another grand final. Sad but true. Saint George Illawarra on the other hand may win their first title this year if the moons align.
Gob Bluth
Guest
No Ken. St George Illawarra is a new club. When the wests Tigers won in 2005, people said it was their first Grand Final, not their first since 1969. These Dragons are gunning for title number one.
Ken
Guest
Actually the Saints have won more Grand Finals than any other team, they were established in 1921 and they now play in the NRL under the merged St George Illawarra banner.
AdamD
Guest
Ken the "Saints" Have never won a GF. they where only est in 1999 and have not won premiership, St george premierships do not count because that was a differnt club. they are now St George Illawarra. not St George.
Terry Kidd
Guest
No you can't get Tooheys New in Uzbekistan .... Caspian Cold has the local market sewn up.
Ken
Guest
I think the title should be 'Another day, another set of repetitive stories crapping on about the same thing'. Yes Saints haven't won a title for a while, yes 2005 was a good chance that got away (although all this crap about them being the favourites that year is just that). The players aren't coming out about their need for 'redemption' it's just that they keep being asked the same questions over and over ad nauseum until the journalists get enough of a quote to run another one of these stories. Unfortunately I think you're right that we've probably got another few days of this story though...
Minge111
Guest
Hahahahaha. You going to be rushing to write something when the Dragons put the Tigers out of the comp on Saturday???? I'll look on Sunday, but i wont hold my breath.