Dragons through to grand final
Written by:
Dragons media
23/09/2005
www.jubileeavenue.com.au
The St George Illawarra Dragons Jersey Flegg side earlier tonight booked themselves a Grand Final position after a 27 6 victory against the Sydney Roosters at Leichardt Oval.
The game ended with plenty of fire but it was the Dragons who started off with plenty of it with an early try to hooker George Ndaira with the try being converted by Josh Lewis.
It then came to the 21st minute where Dragons prop forward Danny Wicks was hit by a high shot and received a penalty only 15 m out from the Roosters goal line. Five eighth Josh Lewis put in an early grubber kick and Lee Te Maari grabbed the try out wide with the conversion from Lewis unsuccessful.
The Dragons went to the break leading 10 0 but came back out hoping they could get the first points of the second half and it started well with Josh Lewis getting a 40/20 kick away but a poor mistake on the second tackle cost them a chance to extend their lead. The Roosters then capitalized and second rower Grant Millington opened the scoring for the Roosters and the try was converted leaving the match fairly even at 10 6.
From the kick restart the Dragons forced a Roosters error only 25m out and centre Beau Ryan scored his first of the day with Lewis converting taking it out to a 16 6 lead. It was only six minutes later when Josh Morris barged his way over to make it 20 6.
Five eighth Josh Lewis then secured a spot in the Grand Final with a field goal to extend it to a fifteen point lead. With eight minutes to go Beau Ryan then crossed for his second of the night and Lewis converting taking the match to a 27 6 score line.
From the restart prop Chris Houston returned the ball only to be hit with a high shot with the Roosters player being immediately sent from the field. From the penalty the Dragons then took two hit ups with yet another brawl starting this time resulting in two Roosters players being sin-binned and Dragons second rower Lee Te Maari also receiving ten minutes.
The Dragons were extremely happy to book themselves a place in the Grand Final and will play the victor of the Eels V Sharks match that was also played this evening.
St George Illawarra Dragons 27 (B Ryan 2, G Ndaira, L Te Maari, J Morris tries; J Lewis 3 Goals; J Lewis Field Goal) def. Sydney Roosters 6 (G Millington try; 1 Goal) at Leichardt Oval
And the other view...
Gallant Roosters bow out on night of spite
Written by:
Roosters Media
23/09/2005
www.jubileeavenue.com.au
They may have finished the match with just ten men, but the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg side can hold their heads high after gallantly bowing out of the finals at the hands of St George Illawarra during a drama-charged 27-6 loss at Leichardt Oval tonight.
Referee Gavin Badger a former first grade whistleblower completely lost control of the match in the dying stages, as a season of frustration took its toll on the young Roosters.
With seven minutes remaining, Badger sent hulking back-rower Frank Winterstein off after what appeared to be little more than a solid hit. However, the pro-Dragons crowd took exception and Badger gave Winterstein an early shower.
Bemused by the decision, giant lock Pee Wee Moke fired up from the ensuing Dragons penalty to completely smash an oncoming Saint.
This only further angered both sides, with a fiery all-in brawl erupting and spilling over the sidelines in an ugly finish to the clash.
Despite the Dragons appearing to instigate the brawl, Badger sin-binned star half Anthony Watts and centre Troy Savage to leave the Roosters to fight out the final six minutes with only ten players. One Dragons player was also binned to leave the minor premiers and competition favourites with 12.
The Roosters frustration stemmed from a lopsided penalty count (7-2) in the opening stanza that speared St George Illawarra to a 10-0 lead at the break.
Classy Dragons hooker George Ndaira opened the scoring in the seventh minute after a determined barge from close range. Josh Lewis converted to give the Dragons an early 6-0 advantage.
After conceding such a soft try, the Roosters defence fired up big time crushing no less than three Dragons into submission as the Bondi boys aimed to regain the ascendancy.
However, the Roosters frustration was clear for all to see after the Dragons extended their advantage in the 22nd minute through Lee Te Maari after a blatant forward pass was overlooked in the build-up.
It was one of many passes and knock-ons admittedly from both sides that was bewilderingly let go by the officials. No doubt, the frustration created to both sides resulted in the game spiralling out of control in the final ten minutes.
The young Roosters responded in the best possible way, completely dominating the remaining exchanges in the opening stanza, as the Dragons lost their invincibility aura with a string of uncharacteristic errors.
But the Roosters couldnt make their hard work count on the scoreboard, with Pierce Sapsford unable to collect a poor pass from Savage following a crisp backline movement. Had Sapsford caught the pass, the Roosters almost certainly would have scored and reduced the deficit to four at the break.
It didnt take long for the Roosters to make their dominance count in the second half, when popular back-rower Grant Millington crashed over out wide after bustling prop Danny Williams nearly set up the opening four-pointer to Melbourne-bound half James Aubusson on the prior play. Scott Porter converted to reduce the score to 10-6.
But with all the momentum with them, the Roosters knocked on from the ensuing kick-off to release the pressure valve off the Dragons.
Beau Ryan scored from close range to restore the Saints 10-point buffer and effectively signal the end of the Roosters season.
That really, really hurt us, coach Jim Dymock conceded.
We had them rattled at that stage and let them off the hook.
We gave them a sniff and they took it, as the good sides do.
They were too good for us tonight and good luck to them in the grand final next week.
But I couldnt be prouder of the boys for their commitment tonight.
They really dug in for each other it was a shame the way the match ended, though.
From that point, the Roosters defended bravely, but were unable to stop Josh Morris scoring a soft try on the fifth tackle out wide off a third-consecutive set for the Dragons.
A Lewis field goal and a further try to Ryan sealed a deserved 21-point win for the Dragons by far and away 2005s best side.
But the Roosters commitment when most critics were predicting another 40-point landslide loss, breathed new hope into the premiership campaigns of tonights other preliminary finalists, Parramatta and Cronulla.
For the Roosters, Watts was a standout consistently trying to fire his teammates up with a stirring kick-chase and defensive game beyond his age and size.
In the forwards, Williams stood tall never shirking from the hard yards after the Dragons game plan clearly revolved around hammering the Roosters linchpin in the opening exchanges.
Savage, Jeremy Gordon and fullback Shaun Foley were also strong in the backs.
Its hard to single anyone out I thought everyone really put in tonight, Dymock said.
This will put us in good stead for next year.
The guys did themselves proud tonight.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 27 (Beau Ryan 2, Josh Morris, George Ndaira, Lee Te Maari tries; Josh Lewis 3/5 goals; Josh Lewis field goal) defeated SYDNEY ROOSTERS 6 (Grant Millington try; Scott Porter 1/1 goal) at Leichardt Oval; Friday, 23rd September, 2005; Referee: Gavin Badger.
