There are few sports that have a news cycle as quick and dramatic as rugby league.
The theatre off the field can almost be as interesting as the breathtaking antics you see the players perform week in, week out. Bold proclamations and iron-clad assurances from straight-faced pundits are the bread and butter of most major publications and this week one of their main assertions is that the Dragons are dead in 2022.
While the start of the season for the St. George Illawarra Dragons certainly has been grim, having won only once in five outings, and that game occurring over a month ago, that black-and-white recap does not tell the full story.
Nuance is the enemy of click-bait but it can paint a slightly more optimistic future for the Dragons in 2022 if you dive into those matches and the situations surrounding them.
To begin with, of the four games the Dragons have lost, three of them have been against top-four teams, with the Eels, Panthers and Sharks all vying for title contention.
Against the Panthers, many have forgotten the Dragons were within touching distance of securing a stunning comeback after some questionable sin-bins and a sluggish opening forty. When matched against the Eels, St. George kept pace for the opening 40 and had momentum going into the break only to be well and truly blown away by a much better side.
While pre-season games mean little to most, for Dragons hopefuls the fact that they had dispatched the Eels and won their first Charity Shield in a decade provided great expectations that have yet to come to fruition.
While these happy memories are now long faded for the Red V, when you place them next to the halves of quality football they played against the Eels and Panthers you start to see glimpses of a good team that is struggling to find their footing.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The fact the team has so many changes to the roster from last year also could add to the mixed showings, but many before the season kicked off were singing the Dragons’ praises in this respect.
Of course, the dropping of Junior Amone and Tyrell Sloan is baffling, and the constant presence of the well-intentioned but far-too-slow Andrew Mccullough at hooker and an out-of-place Moses Mbye at fullback is frustrating even the most casual of Dragons fans.
But the depth in the forwards (with Josh McGuire and Tyrell Fuimaono available for selection this week) and undeniably talented backs point to a team that is waiting for a breakthrough.
Confidence is a funny thing in the NRL. Having such a tough first draw for the first five weeks of the season could very well kill the Dragons’ season before it starts. Are they the best team in the league on their day, or even in the top eight? Perhaps not. But they certainly are better than what their results would have you believe.
The next three weeks see the Dragons play the Knights, who are also on a bit of a downward trajectory, the Roosters on Anzac Day (a game which even the worst Dragons sides will generally be up for) and the hapless Tigers.
At the end of those three games, you will have a much clearer picture of where the Dragons will finish. If they manage to reverse their crumbling confidence, put out a consistent starting 13 and develop the five or ten minutes of good footy at a time into 80, then they have every chance of making the finals.
It is a big ask, and most would predict Griffin is not the man to do it, but there is still time and some hope for Dragons fans, if only a fool’s hope.
danwain
Roar Rookie
You can’t put Hunt at hooker at the moment, he still needs to run the show at 7, and, as you said, there is a lack of options to replace him. As for the others, you are talking about 3 guys(Sloan, Sullivan & Amone) have all played less than 12 games each in first grade, so I stand by my statement that they need to be given time to develop. Don’t get me started on Maguire in the spine, or Griffins current selection policy though, we could be here a while.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
If it helps to believe that mate go right ahead. IMO Ben Hunt should probably be the Dragons hooker but there are no viable halves at present. There are still too many question marks over Amone and even more over Sullivan. Sloan should be the FB but he has too many errors in his game, he can't direct the Dragons defensive line and he is a huge liability in defence. Mbye should play left centre and not in the spine. McCullough likewise has no business being in the Dragons spine. Also, irrespective of the reason, if Griffin ever throws Josh McGuire into the halves he should be sacked on the spot. McGuire doesn't belong anywhere near the spine and that includes hooker. Do you still think the Dragons spine is there danwain?
danwain
Roar Rookie
The spine is there, just needs a new hooker and some time to develop
Steve halloway
Guest
I agree, it all happens with the spine. Have a look at Penrith Parramatta the Roosters and Melbourne. No surprise they should all make the top 4 this year.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
It's too early to count the Dragons out... No. It really isn't. Even if the Dragons miraculously finished in the bottom of the top 8 they would be annihilated in week 1 of the finals. The Dragons need to change their coach and improve their squad (starting with their spine) before their fortunes will improve.
Malo
Guest
Yeah Bird should be 2nd row and Mbye hooker. The saints are playing better and have had a hard draw so far. I think they will beat the bunnies this w/end
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Reuben is a winger so that probably makes him ideal at hooker in the eyes of Griffin
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
As long as Mbye is fullback and Bird is five eighth Dragons won't be winning any games. Mbye is slow and offers nothing in attack. Bird can't kick or pass and has no idea what he's doing. Meanwhile Amone sits on the bench for 70 minutes
Phil
Roar Rookie
It's hard at times being a Saints supporter but you have to stick with them through good and bad times. Unfortunately the latter has been there for quite some time now. The game they won and the Penrith game Saints had a different fullback and 5/8 to what Hook has now. Strange selections there and he's picked the same side again this round to take on Newcastle. Very strange. I haven't given up hope altogether because the more you keep losing, the closer you are to a win.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Good points, TGO. The conditions in recent weeks haven't helped either and certainly haven't facilitated the style of football the Dragons played in the Charity Field. I've wondered if this is part of the reason Griffin has dropped Sloan and used Amone sparingly. Whatever the case, his selections aren't working and he surely can't persist with McCullough.
Bernie
Guest
The first five rounds were always going to be tough. Expectations weren't high against at least Parra, Panthers and the Bunnies. More worrying for me seems to be the lack of form across the team. I know they're trying but can you say that any of them are in good form. Concerning for me is players such as Lomax, Kerr, Bird seem to have gone backwards. Lomax and Kerr in particularly early last year looked superb. I can't warm to Griffin, he just looks too old fashioned, there doesn't appear to be anything new, fresh or innovative.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
A couple of wins and the team will be eying off the top 8. I reckon they'll come good soon.
Tony
Roar Guru
A really well written article TGO. I doubt if any Dragon's fans had any realistic expectations of a top 8 finish this year, and all I was really hoping for was to see them play some enterprising football, and show some real improvement on last year. I like what Su'a, Molo and Suli have brought to the team, Feagi looks great on the wing, Hunt is doing well, and there's the basis of a good pack of forwards. I think if Hook brings both Sloan and Amone back into the team, moves Mbye to hooker, and plays Sullivan off the bench, we might get somewhere.
Ben Sutton
Guest
Sorry mixed up two players. Reuben on the wing and Connor Muhleisen looks good at Hooker.
Ben
Guest
I agree. If we're honest, who really thought the Dragons would beat the Panthers, Eels, Sharks or even last year's grand finalists the Rabbitohs? To put it bluntly: we need to play some lesser teams to find our mojo. I'm not saying we are anywhere near the top four, we will struggle to make the eight, but it wouldn't shock me if we start stringing some wins together. The two Jaydens, Sullivan and Hunt, should be given some game time. I'd also bring up Jonothan Reuben to play hooker. He looked great in the trials and, although he's 28, he deserves a chance. Mccullough has been a great player in the past he shouldn't be our starting hooker.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Being at the 'gong might get us home.
Adam
Roar Guru
Theoretically the Tigers are also closer to a win they've ever been...
andrew
Roar Rookie
I haven't given up on Saints. The law of averages means Saints are closer to a win, starting with the Knights this weekend.