Dragons
14
Match Complete
Wests Tigers
24
| 79 |  | B. Marshall | ||
| 79 |  | D. Nofoaluma | ||
| 59 | | L. Leilua | ||
| 50 | | B. Marshall | ||
| 49 | | B. Marshall | ||
| Z. Lomax |  | 46 | ||
| Z. Lomax | | 26 | ||
| Z. Lomax | | 25 | ||
| 21 | | B. Marshall | ||
| 13 | | B. Marshall | ||
| 12 | | D. Nofoaluma | ||
| Z. Lomax | | 2 | ||
| M. Ravalawa | | 1 |
| 2 | Tries | 4 | ||
| 2 | Conversions | 3 | ||
| 1 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The Dragons get their season underway against the Tigers today, in the last game of the first round. Join The Roar for live scores and the blog from 6:15pm (AEDT).
For St George Illawarra, this season is as much about the coach as it is the players. Paul McGregor needs to bounce back, and while most would expect the Dragons to improve on their 15th-placed finish last season, the lift on the ladder needs to be significant. A finals appearance is probably the benchmark. That’s long term.
Short term, he can buy himself time with some early wins, and he’ll get the perfect opportunity, with two winnable home games to kick off the year.
The Wests Tigers also wouldn’t mind cracking into the eight, having missed the playoffs the past eight seasons. It’s been in the cruellest manner of late, with the team coming ninth in three of the last four years.
The Dragons have lost a number of players in the off-season. They’ll need to get used to life without Gareth Widdop, while notably they lose Jeremy Latimore, Lachlan Maranta, and Patrick Kaufusi.
Longtime Dragon Trent Merrin returns: that’s a plus. Tyrell Fuimaono and Issac Luke slot in, adding experience to the roster.
The Tigers have recruited pretty well. They gain backs Adam Doueihi and Joey Leilua, however the loss of Ryan Matterson to Parramatta could hit them hard.
In team news, James Graham, after missing the trials, will play for the first time this year. He links up with Issac Luke in the Dragons’ front row. Merrin has been named on the bench in his return, although mail suggests he could start. Euan Aitken won’t make it into the starting team, Brayden Wiliame takes over from him at centre.
For Wests, Doueihi will run out at centre, with Luke Brooks and Benji Marshall in the halves. Corey Thompson will wear the number one, with Josh Reynolds starting the game on the pine. Moses Mbye’s knee injury rules him out of the opening round.
Prediction
The Dragons were torched by the Tigers in their one meeting last season, 42-14. I don’t expect the same to happen this time round. St George Illawarra will start as narrow favourites, and they should kick things off with a settling win.
Dragons by eight.
Join The Roar for live scores and the blog from 6:15pm (AEDT).
Game information
Time: 6:15pm (AEDT)
Venue: WIN Stadium
Referees: Ashley Klein, Phil Henderson
Odds: Dragons $1.85, Wests Tigers $1.95
Last five meetings: Tigers 42-14, Dragons 20-10, Tigers 20-16, Dragons 16-12, Dragons 28-6.
Teams
Dragons
1. Zac Lomax 2. Jordan Pereira 3. Brayden Wiliame 4. Tim Lafai 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Corey Norman 7. Ben Hunt 8. James Graham 9. Issac Luke 10. Paul Vaughan 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Tariq Sims 13. Blake Lawrie. Interchange: 14. Trent Merrin 15. Tyrell Fuimaono 16. Billy Brittain 17. Jacob Host. Reserves: 18. Jackson Ford 19. Adam Clune 20. Euan Aitken 21. Josh Kerr.
Tigers
1. Corey Thompson 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Joseph Leilua 4. Adam Doueihi 5. Robert Jennings 6. Benji Marshall 7. Luke Brooks 8. Josh Aloiai 9. Billy Walters 10. Alex Twal 11. Luke Garner 12. Luciano Leilua 13. Elijah Taylor. Interchange: 14. Thomas Mikaele 15. Josh Reynolds 16. Zane Musgrove 17. Chris Lawrence. Reserves: 18. Michael Chee-Kam 19. Oliver Clark 20. Matt Eisenhuth 21. Paul Momirovski.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes a fullback who failed to kick a ball dead giving up a try, a 2nd rower who threw a forward pass with 2 players backing up bombing a try, and a prop who dropped a pass with an open line in his sight bombing a try. These are 3 good players but they've lost their confidence. The coach needs to work some miracles.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
it's going to be a long, long year.
JGK
Roar Guru
Sweet Lord that was poor by the Dragons. Happily with the season about to close down, I won’t have to see them do that too many more times this year.
Brendon Waldron
Roar Pro
They should play all the closed doors games in Wollongong. Instead of just pointing the cameras at empty grandstands, we could get some nice ocean views!
Tom English
Roar Guru
Well that's a solid performance from the Tigers. An error riddled game, but Marshall has absolutely silenced his critics tonight. He closed out the game with only a minor lead, but an icing on the cake try gives them a flattering scoreline. Thanks for stopping by! FULLTIME: Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 24
79
Joe
Roar Rookie
Nice try and nice win by the Tigers. They were very good tonight and their attack looked very good with Benji running it after Brooks was ruled out. Walters was pretty good at hooker, provided good service and the occasional running threat. Leilua bros and Nofualum are going to be a force on the right edge. Good game.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Marshall to convert. Icing on the cake stuff. Marshall slots it through! FULLTIME: Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 24
79
jeannine wallace
Roar Rookie
Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tom English
Roar Guru
Marshall has been sublime tonight. Nofoaluma just cut through. What a score. 81' – final play. Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 22
Tom English
Roar Guru
TIGERS TRY! Nofoaluma off the back – TRY TIGERS! THEY'LL WIN! Awarded onfield! 80' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 22
Tom English
Roar Guru
Here comes a slow old set. Dragons take their time in packing the scrum. 58 seconds. 80' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Tom English
Roar Guru
Leilua on the 3rd. Marshall, Chee-Kam. Now a knockon against the Dragons! 79' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Tom English
Roar Guru
Touchfinder near the 50. This is probably a very conservative set. Twal, now they get it to Leilua. Walters down the shortside, kicked through on the 5th – repeat set! It's gotta be a short kick. Isn't. 2.5 mins to go. 78' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Tom English
Roar Guru
Ball to Reynolds, Sims nails him, looks nasty. Yeah, shoulder. Not a shoulder charge allegedly. On report. 76' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Joe
Roar Rookie
Bombed try. Fritzell is going great on the left edge but no finishing by the Dragons. The winger also didn't help out by putting himself in a position to receive the pass but was running almost directly behind him.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Lafai offloads, Dragons now with some decent momentum. 3rd tackle near the 50. Hunt finds Frizell who cuts through! HE'S OFF! Ball inside – went forward!! Oh gosh. No try, Tigers will get the ball. But how dynamic is Frizell down the left. 76' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Tom English
Roar Guru
Tigers come off the scrum. Still throwing it at the Dragons. Lawrence, Walters on a dart. Sims with another carry. Marshall goes high once more. Dragons have it now. 75' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18
Tom English
Roar Guru
Lafai, Luke tackled. Hunt cuts through – ball to VAUGHAN WHO BUTCHERS IT! 74' Dragons 14 Wests Tigers 18