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Ben Hunt has insisted he is content to remain with the Dragons past the end of next year, despite reports linking him to a move from the club.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after his side’s late 24-22 win over the Wests Tigers, the Dally M Medal contender said that the talk of him going elsewhere was just noise.
“Every day there seems to be something popping up,” said the St George Illawarra halfback. “I’ll just wait until the season’s over and I’ve only got one more week. We’ll get it sorted out and we’re working through it. I enjoy the club and I’m happy to stay.”
Zac Lomax got the points for the Dragons after a clutch second half performance in which he scored one, created another and then kicked the winning penalty after copping a 79th-minute high tackle that saw Asu Kepaoa binned.
Lomax was his side’s star man, and Adam Doueihi was also excellent for the Tigers, but the credit might well stop there in what was one of the lowest quality games of the year.
Lomax changed the game in the second half through a series of key plays, but the first hour was dominated by Doueihi. The Lebanese international managed two try assists in attack and saved two certain tries in defence.
This was a contest that proved why these two teams are so low down in the ladder. There were 29 errors in the game and two of the stupidest plays of the year that played a crucial role in determining the result.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
In the first half, on the back of 10 minutes with Cody Ramsey off for a professional foul, Jack Bird swore at referee Liam Kennedy, then doubled down when a dissent penalty was called and was sent to the bin.
Having been 6-0 up, the Dragons played a man light for 20 minutes and ended 16-6 down. Anthony Griffin must wonder why he bothers at times.
Brett Kimmorley might be glad not to have to next year. His side were poor, but had the chance to win and totally blew it through a total brainfade.
With the Dragons attempting a short dropout, Junior Pauga stood inside the 10 and let the ball hit him, gifting St George Illawarra the ball and denying what would have been a certain two points to his own side that could have taken the margin to eight with five minutes to play.
Instead, Lomax was able to ice the game from the sideline. It was a dramatic finish that should never have been allowed to happen.
The Tigers are now staring down their first wooden spoon as a joint venture. They will need to better the Titans result, and overturn a major points differential, if they are not to prop up the ladder next weekend.
“I thought we did enough to win today which would have changed that (finishing last),” said Kimmorley.
“We’ll work hard during the week and stay connected. It’s our last game (of the season) at Leichhardt. The dreaded wooden spoon isn’t hopefully something I’ll be focusing on.”
The Dragons got off to the perfect start, with Jaydn Su’A celebrating game 100 in the NRL with an early try, but ceded all momentum through two moments of indiscipline.
First, Ramsey was binned for a professional foul, gifting the Tigers ten minutes of pure attack. They took advantage with Doueihi putting Fa’amanu Brown over before creating another for Tom Freebairn.
Within moments of Ramsey’s return, Bird decided he fancied a sit down with one of the dumbest moments of the year.
After being pinged for a dangerous tackle, he took out his frustration on the referee and, despite audible warnings from the official, kept going. Reduced again to 12 men, the Dragons were unable to stem the flow of points, with Freebairn getting a second through a shot defensive line.
The half did end with some Dragons pressure, but the line was equal to it. Doueihi proved his worth again in defence, stopping Ramsey in his tracks, before a team effort held Tyrell Sloan up.
St George Illawarra had to show something else in the second half. Lomax or Hunt are usually the ones to spark something, and it was the centre on this occasion.
He created a try through a no-look pass to Tautau Moga, and might have had one himself after rising highest to claim a bomb – via Kepaoa, according to the bunker.
In the middle of those incidents, there was another chance for Doueihi to play hero, racing 90m to drag down Moga after Daine Laurie had thrown him an intercept.
Eventually Lomax did get his try off the back of a Bird pass, but the parity didn’t last: Jock Madden made a superb break through the middle to score, though Ramsey’s attempt to stop him left plenty to be desired.
The Tigers then blew the chance to secure the win with the Pauga dropout incident, and inevitably, the Dragons then scored, with Jackson Ford able to waltz over for his first in over two years. Lomax levelled the scores with three to play.
As St George Illawarra spread to the edge, Kepaoa collected Lomax high and was binned. The centre picked himself up, dusted himself down and won the game for his side.
The Tigers are all but certain to collect the wooden spoon with their only realistic hope being Gold Coast losing big time next week against the Warriors and then Wests somehow jagging a massive victory over Canberra in the final match of the season.