Mastermind season review: St George Illawarra Dragons

After two years without reaching the finals, Dragons fans expected more from the team this year. But after starting the season with three straight victories to top the ladder, season 2014 resulted in more disappointment.

Coach Steve Price responded to the club’s worst ever season last year, in which they finished 14th, by recruiting new players to build the team he wanted.

But while that worked for the first three rounds, inconsistency and heavy losses resulted in his sacking on May 26, with Paul McGregor left to clean up the mess. His effort to keep a dispirited side in finals contention eventually led to his full-time appointment as head coach.

What else went right and wrong for the Red V in 2014? Let’s carry out the post-mortem into another failed season at Kogarah.

St George Illawarra Dragons
Final ladder position: 11th (11 wins, 13 losses, -59 points differential)

What went right?
The Dragons’ biggest buy, Gareth Widdop, lived up to his price tag and justified the club’s decision to lure him from the Melbourne Storm, masterminding most of the side’s 11 victories.

Joined in the halves by Benji Marshall mid-season after the former Kiwi international endured an unsuccessful stint with the Auckland Blues in Super Rugby, the pair gelled together and both provided some stability in the side.

Fans were excited as the club’s first three games resulted in six points.

What went wrong?
But while excited reigned among long-suffering fans, it didn’t last long. The Dragons lost six of their next seven games leading into the bye, and coach Steve Price was sacked as a result.

This included heavy losses to the Bulldogs and Eels, with Benji Marshall appearing flat in his first game back in the NRL in the latter game. Many thought at the time that his best was well beyond him, though he did get his mojo back later on.

In the end, inconsistency across their results conspired against them as they missed the finals for the third year running. With Paul McGregor now in charge following two-and-a-bit unsuccessful years under Steve Price, the results need to start coming sooner rather than later.

Best win: defeated the Canberra Raiders 34-16 at GIO Stadium in Round 23
Of all the wins the Dragons enjoyed in 2014, none was much sweeter than the one they had in Canberra to end one of rugby league’s most famous curses.

The Red V arrived in the nation’s capital without a win since 2000, and their chances of ending that drought lengthened before kick-off when captain Ben Creagh was ruled out, leaving Brett Morris to skipper the side for the day.

A hat-trick to the winger, plus an impressive performance from Josh Dugan – in his first trip back to Canberra since being shown the door in March last year – set up their 34-16 victory and buried 14 years of capital failure into the ground.

Worst loss: lost 36-0 to the Parramatta Eels at Pirtek Stadium in Round 10
The Dragons’ 36-0 loss to Parramatta just before their first bye proved to be the final nail in the coffin of coach Steve Price.

The match saw Benji Marshall make his club debut following the aforementioned ill-fated stint in rugby. While the Dragons ended up not making the finals, the loss proved to be the turning point in the season – with Paul McGregor taking over as coach of the dispirited club.

For most of the second half of the season the side were able to remain in finals contention thanks to some victories over eventual finalists the Storm and Cowboys, as well as those over bottom sides the Titans (twice), Raiders and Sharks.

The future
Having been appointed head coach on a full-time basis following his efforts since his predecessor’s sacking, Paul McGregor will have a tough job on his hands trying to mould the current side into one that can return to the finals in the near future.

Barring injury, Benji Marshall will benefit from a full pre-season and should continue his impressive partnership with Gareth Widdop in the halves. They will hold the keys to the club returning to the finals in 2015.

The Dragons have not made any notable signings for the 2015 season, but have lost Jack Bird to the Sharks, while Sam Williams has returned to the Raiders and Michael Witt has announced his retirement from the game.

It has emerged, however, that the Dragons are interested in luring Bulldogs forward Sam Kasiano to Kogarah – if that were to eventuate, then he would provide the club some grunt in the forward pack.

With the lack of notable player signings for next season, it appears the club might be headed for another few difficult seasons in front of them before they can really contend for a return to September footy.