If St George Illawarra breaks its premiership drought this weekend will they be remembered as great champions? Boring champions? Or a team that won the title because the Melbourne Storm had been ruled ineligible due to salary cap breaches?
Sometimes a team can pick up a label and that tag sticks to future generations. In this case, unlike the chokers tag they have inherited from their predecessors, the Dragons have no one to blame for being labelled boring but themselves.
I say that the Dragons don’t deserve to be called chokers yet because a large part of this team has only been together for two seasons. Should this trend continue then yes, sledge away.
Fans of the joint venture should be concerned heading into the decider on Sunday afternoon. The Wests Tigers played tough, but they didn’t play well and only lost by a point.
The Tigers numerous mistakes with the ball in hand and the Dragons benefited from the momentum shifts, but the Roosters won’t be so charitable.
The Tigers did nothing more than hang tough in defence and that was enough to shut down the Dragons attack. Can they get away with the same this weekend? Is that type of football better suited to a grand final?
The Roosters will also stay composed in defence, if we go on the evidence of previous weeks, but Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney won’t be as wasteful with possession.
It’s a simple fact. The Dragons offer little in attack, but benefit from big charges from their forwards and composed completed sets.
Entertainment is not the hallmark of their game and they’ve reduced rugby league to a painfully simple equation. Hold the ball while running low-risk plays, wait for your opposition to succumb to fatigue, then and only then, can you bother the scoreboard attendant.
Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward slotted the match winning field goal on Saturday night. Following the contest he stood in the dressing room talking to reporters. He said he’d been fairly quiet up until that point where his boot struck the Steeden.
To be honest I couldn’t agree more.
I can’t remember him doing a great deal during the contest, but as previously discussed on this site, I am a big believer in Soward’s ability. He needs to run the ball more and with his immense skill, why we don’t see it more often is baffling.
So there is another question. Can a team win a grand final with a five-eighth who in many peoples opinion doesn’t run at the line enough?
I don’t have any of these concerns when it comes to their opponents.
Pearce, Carney, Braith Anasta and Anthony Minichiello will stretch the Dragons to their limits, while their tough and experienced forward pack should provide the required grunt.
A team coming from wooden spooners to premiers, coached by a veteran who has never won a premiership while playing attractive football would seem like the good news story the NRL desperately needs to end a season that will go down as one of the most farcical in its history, due to the Melbourne Storm salary cap saga.
Can the Dragons provide the same feel good headlines? Does it really matter?
Not really, a premiership is all they crave. But for the neutral you’d like to see the biggest game of the season won in style.
You can follow luke on twitter @luke_doherty and on Sky News Australia.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Two finals games lost 4 years apart .... yeah the chokers tag amuses me too
Sam H
Guest
Let's hope Mundine doesn't butcher a grand final winning try this time around! Ken, I think Young and Hornby run most of the structure (with Fien adding a lot since he has been back), but Soward is responsible for most of the big attacking plays like line break /try assists. (There's a stat ranking system on the website I gratuitously linked to above which does show that Soward's form in these areas this year is way down on 2009 though). I still think the Dragon's entire play comes down to Soward's awesome kicking though. They couldn't strangle teams out of games with field position and solid defence if they couldn't rely on their 6 to consistently pin the opposition down.
Ken
Guest
Soward isn't really the centrepiece of the Dragons attack though, from my observation Hornby runs more of the attacking plays. Note: I thought I'd browse some stats to back that up and checked http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerprofiles/dragonsplayerlist/tabid/10844/default.aspx - I didn't find anything relevant but interestingly enough the NRL stats show Anthony Mundine as a 2010 Dragons player in the stats - a big surprise for the GF perhaps!
Sam H
Guest
I understand the sentiment Luke - I'd like to see Soward really step up his running and passing game too as he also has strengths there. But his kicking game is incredible. If other aspects of his game surpassed it, he'd be better than Andrew Johns. I agree though that in the context of the Dragon's entire attack / gameplan, being oriented so singularly around Soward's great kicking means that they are vulnerable. The Tigers showed that on the weekend - with no ball and no territory they led for most of the game and the Dragons had to scramble desperately to beat them. I've got a feeling that that game was the grand final - I can't see the Roosters matching the Tigers' defensive effort. But if they do Saints will be in trouble.
Fez's are cool
Guest
Sigh... The training base is the gong, the admin hq is in Kograh, most of the fans are in Sydney, ground alocation is 50/50. The ground allocation is written into the clubs constitution. It can't be changed without the St George Leagues agreeing, and they would never agree to move.
Ken
Guest
Only 1 team 'gets the job done' in any particular year, the rest are chokers I guess since they should have just won all their games.
punter
Guest
There is a good reason why 1 team finished first & the other finished 6th in the premiership. Very simple reason.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Hi Sam, You make some good points, but if his kicking game is his best aspect then the Dragons attack is in trouble. It should be an extremely good part of his game, but not the best part.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Anasta, Myles and Ryles - not bad.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Hi Aidan, thanks for the comment mate. I say the season was farcical because i truly believe that the Storm should've been playing for no points but their opposition also should've got an automatic 2 points and you can apply that retrospectively if you like (so before the news broke) To have teams finals chances ruined by the storm was a joke
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Some would argue though Willy that in 2005 they should've beaten the Tigers and last year shouldn't they put themselves in that position. Their destiny was in their own hands until they didn't get the job done.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
True Brett, they have scored SOME outstanding tries this season, unfortunately its usually in the 79th minute when their opponents are legless from tackling.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Gasnier and Morris are both exciting players - when given the chance. I don't believe they've been given the chance to use their full arsenal this year. Cooper is a great defensive centre and a quality player, but Bennett has shackled the life out of them.
JVGO
Guest
I will love to see Illawarra win their first pemiership. St George asphyxiated long ago anyway. Go the Illawarra St George Steelers. Just a shame that Trent won't be playing.
Whites
Guest
Melbourne picked up the most talented juniors from NSW and Queensland because of their News Ltd subsidy and the uncapped nature of spending on junior development. None of their players were Victorian juniors. Melbourne was able to pay more for 17, 18 and 19 year olds to move to Melbourne and further their development as part of the Storm structure. The problem was the Storm wanted to keep all their players once the total cost of their squad exceeded the salary cap. The Storm got their "stars" in their late teens after they were already expected to make it in the NRL one day. They would have still been stars if they had played at any other club. The Dragons develop local juniors from their local area. At least two thirds of the 17 for the grand final are broadly speaking local juniors. Players also actually get pushed out of the Dragons if their wages get to much for the salary cap. The key battle in the forwards in the other semi-final was Jason Ryles vs Luke Bailey. Both former local juniors from when they first played the game. Salary cap auditor, Ian Schubert, has seen all details of Gasnier''s deal. I find it highly unlikely that a deal done after the Storm breach would breach the salary cap. Plus also the fact that players such as Saffy, Costigan and Smith will this weekend be playing their last games as Dragons. But if you have some inside knowledge please enlighten us.
Whites
Guest
Good point Willy. Just about all the players live in Wollongong. Bennett has based himself in Wollongong. Most of the training sessions are in Wollongong. Go the St George ILLAWARRA DRAGONS.
Sam H
Roar Pro
Dean - Surry Hills - I think this is one of those cases where naming names in a public forum isn't such a good idea at this stage... Luke - think you are missing a trick with Soward. He's certainly been quieter this year in terms of key attacking stats. But his kicking game is what lets the Dragons play the way they do, and that has never been as evident as it was on Saturday night v the Tigers, as I argue here: http://www.footyfootyfooty.com/2010/09/difference.html
damos_x
Guest
Obviously you aren't even sure of the info so given the nature of the claim it's a big call you are making. Given that thus far the media releases from police indicate that Cowboys players are not suspects but rather witnesses I assume this has been a ruse to deflect attention from the actual target of the investigation. Given also the fact that the rigged outcome didn't occur one can only assume that either it wasn't rigged, the riggers lost their nerve at the moment of truth or it was rigged by Bulldogs player/s on the assumption that the hard up Cowboys would take a 2 point lead early & thus it was a walk in. The footage from the game makes a poor case for Ryan Tandy, because as a Bulldog fan if this is his normal style I can see the need to be rid of him - match fixing or not, if the penalty & knock on were not deliberate then what is going on ? you certainly wouldn't hand the guy a stubby over your tiled floor would you ?! However innocuous betting is both the scourge of anti-corruption & the fashion in the world of gambling as it probably doesn't change the ultimate result but stills earns money in lost wagers & won, so everyone is happy except the honest fan, punter, player, etc etc. I guess we await the Monday papers/media release to see if your tip is on the money or did they go for the try instead ....
damos_x
Guest
That would be an awesome prospect, the Dragons having to turn it on at the death to win, the drop kick experts, the attacking weapons & desperate defence, what a game it could make! In the last few games we've seen that although teams have some outstanding attacking options ( Marshall, Prince etc) the opportunities can be created but come & go very quickly, so many times it comes down to the control a team can exert in a given moment which decides success or failure, vis a vis the Soward field goal success which is an attempt that any of the noted drop-goalers could convert but which team got their man in the right spot at the right moment ? I hope the Roosters put on some early points & really get their tails up because I think we could really see the Dragons dig deep & from there anything could happen. My personal feeling is that a 40-20 could be a crucial moment for either team & pressure on the kickers & which team protects them the best will be crucial. The Dragons are disciplined & Bennett has been here before & will be telling the squad " you're good enough, just believe & apply yourself" whereas I imagine Smith will be saying " no-one believed in us but we did & look where it got us , so lets go make it happen" & thus the stage is set. Prediction- Heart says- Roosters 23-12 Head says Dragons 13-12 again...........
Fez's are cool
Guest
Yeah he and Happy the Dragon can beat the **** out of the Roosters mascot.