Two of the NRL’s in-form teams will come together when competition pacesetters St George Illawarra Dragons face reigning premiers the Melbourne Storm at Kogarah Oval this Sunday.
Led by the ultra-impressive halves pairing of Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt and English forward James Graham, the Dragons have finished every round on top of the ladder and have assumed favouritism for this year’s premiership.
After falling to the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland in Round 7, the Dragons defied a short turnaround to defeat the Sydney Roosters 24-8, with a try to Nene Macdonald after just one minute of play setting the tone for another top-class performance from Paul McGregor’s men.
Halfback Hunt continues to vindicate the club’s decision to pursue him in January last year, with his try before half-time seeing the side take a 12-2 lead into the break before getting on with the job in the second half, while Tyson Frizell won the Spirit of Anzac Medal for being the best on ground.
But the win was overshadowed by a controversial try awarded to Macdonald in the final quarter of the match, with the slow-motion replays showing that he just lost the ball from his grip as he was grounding it.
The bunker, which has come under fire several times since its inception in 2016, saw no reason at the time to overturn the try, as they were convinced that Macdonald had scored with his fingertips.
However, the referees later came out to concede that the try should not have been awarded. Who knows how the final ten minutes of the match would have unfolded had the try not been awarded?
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Regardless, the Dragons defence, ranked first in the competition, would have held out a Roosters side which, despite the acquisitions of James Tedesco and Cooper Cronk, which has seen them assume title favouritism before the season kick-off, has failed to fire in the opening eight rounds.
Just how far the Red V, so long a target of criticism and ridicule for their constant underachieving since the 1999 merger (the 2010 premiership aside), have come will be tested when they host the Storm, the reigning premiers, at home this Sunday afternoon.
After a sluggish start to the season, Craig Bellamy’s men have returned to top form, defeating the Brisbane Broncos by 34-20 at Suncorp Stadium before hammering the New Zealand Warriors by 50-10 in the annual Anzac Day night clash at AAMI Park.
Captain Cameron Smith continues to play well, even with his 35th birthday looming halfway through next month, while Billy Slater also continues to do so in what is likely to be his final season in the NRL.
Winger Josh Addo-Carr is also firming for a New South Wales State of Origin debut. He would be the Storm’s first Blue representative for many years if he is selected by coach Brad Fittler for the 6 June opener at the MCG.
Their return to form is also a sign that there is life after Cooper Cronk, with Ryley Jacks impressing in the number seven guernsey which Cronk had worn with distinction for 14 years between 2004 and 2017 inclusive.
(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The win over the Warriors, who had won six of their first seven matches, is the strongest indication yet that they will not give up their title without a fight.
Winning the premiership might be hard, but defending it is even harder – no team has gone back-to-back in a unified competition since the Brisbane Broncos in 1992-93, a quarter of a century ago.
Their next task, facing the ladder-leading Dragons in their Kogarah backyard, may appear hard on paper, but history may suggest otherwise.
In 34 games against the joint venture the Storm have emerged victorious on 24 occasions, with the Dragons winning nine times, most recently 20-10 against a depleted Storm side in 2016. There is one draw between the clubs, a 30-all tie at WIN Stadium in 2002.
The corresponding match last year saw the Storm win 34-22 in Wollongong after shooting out to a 22-4 half-time lead. On that day, the Dragons were missing their captain, Gareth Widdop, due to injury.
This will arguably be the biggest clash between the two sides since the 1999 grand final, which the Storm took out 20-18 after Craig Smith was awarded a penalty try in the dying minutes, giving the Victorian club their first premiership in what was just their second year in the competition.
[latest_videos_strip category=”league” name=”League”]
As if being denied nearly two decades ago wasn’t hard enough, the Dragons were also denied a berth in the 2006 grand final when it lost to an illegally assembled Melbourne Storm side in the preliminary final by 24-10.
Had the Dragons won that match, they would have fancied their chances against a Brisbane Broncos side they had defeated three times that season, including in a qualifying final at Suncorp Stadium.
To the present, and the Dragons side that has entertained us in the opening eight rounds of the competition is without doubt the best-assembled side since the one that took out the 2010 premiership.
As already mentioned above, Ben Hunt has proven his worth to the club and is firming to become the starting halfback for Queensland in the upcoming State of Origin series, while Paul Vaughan and Jack de Belin are also firming to make their debuts for New South Wales this year.
The impending absences of these players from the side will test the club’s depth during the dreaded Origin period, which will be compromised by the fact that this year teams will have only one bye due to a shortened season.
Before then, the Dragons will want to bank a few more wins while they can, starting with this Sunday’s huge clash against the Melbourne Storm at Kogarah Oval.
andrew
Guest
Storm by plenty or Saints by a few? Not sure how it will pan out.....either way expect them both at the business of the season.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think Tariq is on the opposite side of the field marking Jacks. Big test for Jacks this game.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Cheyse is back but he had his first game in reserves last week after 10 months since his last NRL game. He did play the trial but I think they wanted him to get more game experience mileage in his legs. To be fair Young T did a great job last week which I was happily surprised with so he deserves his spot this week.
Richard POWELL
Roar Rookie
He;ll need to spot Cameron, Ryley and Billy as well
Richard POWELL
Roar Rookie
Golden Point field goal?
Peter Phelps
Guest
I agree that the Dragons have better halves than the Storm. Jacks is certainly no CC but he is competent at what he does and Smith has stepped up to cover a little. I think the Storm pack is equal of the Dragons. Big Nelson has stepped up a gear these last few weeks and can be a real handful. Billy is playing out of his skin and possibly playing the best football of his career. He is enjoying the game again which should strike fear into any opposition. JAC and Vuni on the wings will be the big difference. This gives Melbourne a massive advantage in strike force. The Dragons defence will be tested big style on Sunday. Anyone backing the Dragons should take a close look at the video reels of the Storm's last 2 games. The first half against the Warriors was sublime but the Broncos performance was even better in my view. Melbourne 12+
Peter Phelps
Guest
Waaa Waaa, cry me a river.
Peter Phelps
Guest
Agreed Go Storm!
Peter Phelps
Guest
Not really, it is more a term of phrase.
RoryStorm
Guest
I tend to think you are right Joe. JAC may be lighting quick but the Storm have to come up with a way of getting good ball to him. But even then the Dragons hunt as a 13 man group and I think they can even go up a gear from last week if need be. If the Storm can get the ball behind Nightingale they will fancy their chances of scoring down there or at worst getting a repeat set. As much as I admire Nightingale and his ability to find a way of getting over the try line up the other end, when he has to run the ball out from his own dead zone he is about as fast as the Queen Mary. Cheyse Blair is apparently over his injuries and with his experience I was surprised his name wasn't on the team sheet. I don't know if it's going to be close. After all the general consensus last week was the Storm v Warriors was going to be a close game and look what happened there. It was all over after 20 minutes. I'm not expecting that again but I can't go past the Dragons who after their loss against the Warriors have now got a steely resolve to knock out all comers.
souvalis
Guest
I hope Mary has Tariq spotting Munster this week...he delivers the required punishment here and Freddy will lock him in..
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think the Dragons forwards will be too much too handle. They have been outstanding all season and consistent. Also very aggressive both in attack and defense and have some of the hardest hitters in the competition. The backs will determine by how much. I'd have much preferred a lot more older heads in the Storm forward pack to weather the Dragons forwards. If the Storm had a full pack with the experience of Bromich and Glasby then they would be a chance as the full packs match up. As it is they'll likely only have Dale Finucane who has a busted thumb. The only hope for the Storm is to utilize their talented wingers, especially JAC on Nightingale who isn't so pacy. Unfortunately he'll be missing his regular center partner Curtis Scott and will likely have Young Tonumapaia who everyone knows by now how much or little I rate him. Suli and McDonald should cancel each other out but the difference is the Dragons halves ability to kick to their wingers meaning more chances for Nene. Storms halves don't have that, that game plan went with Cronk to the Roosters. Even with a fully fit squad the Storm would struggle in this game, with their outs I think they lose.
Ray Paks
Roar Rookie
The excuse will be: - "We have a talent in our team with great diving ability, he just didn't get the opportunity to perform one without it looking deliberate to achieve a sin bin. It's back to the swimming pool and hopefully we can be better next week".
Paul
Roar Guru
when the Dragons win, the excuse will be "gee, I didn't see that coming".
KenW
Guest
The Dragons have been consistently good in all areas. They've scrapped hard when the game isn't going their way, they've put on some points when their opponents have opened up, they've given away very little without the other team working hard for it. I'm not sure they've shown the sort of dominance that the Storm demonstrated in the first half last week though. Should be a cracker of a game.
Da No
Roar Rookie
That's a big call but I'm hoping you'll be right. I think that our defence will be too strong and if our attack is on then our pace out wide (especially JAC) will be too much for saints (or any team). That said it's going to be one hell of a game!
Ray Paks
Roar Rookie
It'll be a real battle and I think the Dragons will need to find something extra in a number of departments to give themselves a chance. The Storm are back but I think if the Dragons' big men (Sims, DeBelin) can ruffle the feathers of their the storm halves, they'll be right in the contest! Tariq Sims to send at least 1 storm player to undergo an HIA and miss the rest of the match and Dragons to beat storm 20-12
jimmmy
Guest
I just hope the Dragons are super competitive. I am on any team with a chance to beat Melbourne . Melbourne have more strike than the Dragons , but the Dragons have a real deal forward pack and a better halves pairing ( gee I never thought I would say that). If the Dragons forwards can get a roll on who knows. I am actually fibbing a bit . I really want the Dragons to win by plenty. I have been an anti Dragon since 1967 so this is a huge change in my belief system . It’s going to feel weird but I think I can get through it OK.
Paul
Roar Guru
It depends entirely on how well the Dragons shut down the Storm playmakers and vice versa. The side that does that most effectively will win. I just hope the refs do what they've been doing all year so we can have a good, open game. Dragons will win by 7, with no controversial tries!
The Koomz
Guest
You're a gambling man, Peter?