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JASON Nightingale is a survivor.
In fact he’s the last survivor from St George Illawarra’s 2010 premiership side.
Six years on from the club’s first and only NRL title, Nightingale is the only player from the grand final-winning team still in the Red V.
He reveals the ups and downs on that journey and what’s still to come for him and the club in an exclusive interview with foxsports.com.au.
THE FALLOUT FROM 2010 GLORY
Wayne Bennett was brought to Wollongong for a sole purpose — to win the joint venture’s first NRL premiership.
The Dragons had lost the 1999 grand final to Melbourne but had never tasted the ultimate success in a decade since the merger.
Bennett wasted no time throwing the cheque book around, bringing the likes of Darius Boyd, Neville Costigan, Michael Weyman, Jeremy Smith, and Nathan Fien to the club when he barely even had his feet under the desk in 2009.
That year the Red V won the minor premiership but were bundled out in the semi finals.
A year later they went all the way. They beat the Roosters 32-8 at ANZ Stadium to bring the premiership shield home.
But as quickly as that success came under Bennett it was gone with the master coach’s departure.
Within three years of winning the title, all but three players from the premiership-winning side had either retired or left the club.
Bennett had gone to Newcastle and taken Boyd, Costigan, Scott, and Smith with him and instantly the joint felt different.
“There’s been a lot of changes over a lot of years and it was probably as soon as Wayne left that that transition started to happen,” Nightingale said.
“As happens when you win a grand final a lot of people do move on and teams start to get disassembled pretty quickly.
“When I looked around those changerooms there were people that Wayne brought in to do a job and did a job.
“Those guys were towards the end of their careers but their experience is what gave us the confidence to do what we did.”
After Bennett left the Dragons at the end of 2011, the club would spend three seasons without finals.
They finished ninth, 14th, and 11th in the three seasons following Bennett’s departure, before breaking the drought with a qualifying final appearance last year.
THE LAST DRAGON: ‘A SOMBRE FEELING’
Ben Creagh last week confirmed he will hang up his football boots.
Creagh’s retirement means Nightingale is the last 2010 premiership player remaining at the Dragons.
Fellow winners and good mates Trent Merrin and Brett Morris are still playing but have left the club over the past two years, while Ben Hornby and Dean Young are now assistant coaches with the Red V.
Nightingale, 29, admits emotions were running high when Creagh informed him of his retirement.
“He told me a couple of days before he announced it, and we spoke about some of the good times and the memories,” Nightingale said.
“We spoke about that, Benny and I last year when Trent went to Penrith, that we were the last two remaining, and obviously after his retirement I’m the last one.
“It’s sort of a sombre feeling I suppose.
“But I’ve still got Benny Hornby and Dean Young at the club to share those great memories with, and all of that squad are still pretty close.
“Every time we run into each other those memories are there, they are cherished, and that’s the most important thing.
“Although I’m the last one remaining at the club it doesn’t mean that those memories and accomplishments aren’t still living on in every one of us.”
THE FUTURE IS NOW
Trent Merrin was a baby-faced 20-year-old when he played off the bench in the Dragons’ 2010 victory.
He was the club’s next big thing and he’s gone on to represent both NSW and Australia.
Looking around at the club’s current squad, Nightingale says there’s enough young talent to lay the platform for another premiership assault in the coming years.
There’s two in particular he’s keen to follow the development of — Euan Aitken and Taane Milne.
“Both our young centres have got big futures ahead of them,” he said.
“Very mature at a young age, especially Euan Aitken at a young age, and obviously Taane has done a great job in his first year.
“He’s only going to get better as well.
“That’s the strength of our club, we have a lot of young talent coming through and that’s where we’ll be headed in the future.”
Looking further ahead, NYC utility fullback Jai Field is receiving big raps.
Nightingale hopes the Dragons can retain the 19-year-old.
“He seems like he’s got the goods.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Nightingale will turn 30 next month.
His contract with St George Illawarra expires at the end of 2017 and he’s had no indication whether it will be renewed or not.
He’s happy with the form he’s shown throughout the 2016 season, and he will more than likely represent New Zealand at the end of year Four Nations tournament.
“I’m just hoping I can do my best to earn another contract for starters, then be part of building a squad that can be successful, not only in my career but post-my career as well,” Nightingale said.
And if he can play on into his early and mid-thirties, there’s one burning ambition driving the veteran winger forward.
He wants to add one more premiership ring to his collection.
“It would be a dream come true to be able to do that before retirement.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...p/news-story/9b487a54e3c742038c593c3ac2cec94c
In fact he’s the last survivor from St George Illawarra’s 2010 premiership side.
Six years on from the club’s first and only NRL title, Nightingale is the only player from the grand final-winning team still in the Red V.
He reveals the ups and downs on that journey and what’s still to come for him and the club in an exclusive interview with foxsports.com.au.
THE FALLOUT FROM 2010 GLORY
Wayne Bennett was brought to Wollongong for a sole purpose — to win the joint venture’s first NRL premiership.
The Dragons had lost the 1999 grand final to Melbourne but had never tasted the ultimate success in a decade since the merger.
Bennett wasted no time throwing the cheque book around, bringing the likes of Darius Boyd, Neville Costigan, Michael Weyman, Jeremy Smith, and Nathan Fien to the club when he barely even had his feet under the desk in 2009.
That year the Red V won the minor premiership but were bundled out in the semi finals.
A year later they went all the way. They beat the Roosters 32-8 at ANZ Stadium to bring the premiership shield home.
But as quickly as that success came under Bennett it was gone with the master coach’s departure.
Within three years of winning the title, all but three players from the premiership-winning side had either retired or left the club.
Bennett had gone to Newcastle and taken Boyd, Costigan, Scott, and Smith with him and instantly the joint felt different.
“There’s been a lot of changes over a lot of years and it was probably as soon as Wayne left that that transition started to happen,” Nightingale said.
“As happens when you win a grand final a lot of people do move on and teams start to get disassembled pretty quickly.
“When I looked around those changerooms there were people that Wayne brought in to do a job and did a job.
“Those guys were towards the end of their careers but their experience is what gave us the confidence to do what we did.”
After Bennett left the Dragons at the end of 2011, the club would spend three seasons without finals.
They finished ninth, 14th, and 11th in the three seasons following Bennett’s departure, before breaking the drought with a qualifying final appearance last year.
THE LAST DRAGON: ‘A SOMBRE FEELING’
Ben Creagh last week confirmed he will hang up his football boots.
Creagh’s retirement means Nightingale is the last 2010 premiership player remaining at the Dragons.
Fellow winners and good mates Trent Merrin and Brett Morris are still playing but have left the club over the past two years, while Ben Hornby and Dean Young are now assistant coaches with the Red V.
Nightingale, 29, admits emotions were running high when Creagh informed him of his retirement.
“He told me a couple of days before he announced it, and we spoke about some of the good times and the memories,” Nightingale said.
“We spoke about that, Benny and I last year when Trent went to Penrith, that we were the last two remaining, and obviously after his retirement I’m the last one.
“It’s sort of a sombre feeling I suppose.
“But I’ve still got Benny Hornby and Dean Young at the club to share those great memories with, and all of that squad are still pretty close.
“Every time we run into each other those memories are there, they are cherished, and that’s the most important thing.
“Although I’m the last one remaining at the club it doesn’t mean that those memories and accomplishments aren’t still living on in every one of us.”
THE FUTURE IS NOW
Trent Merrin was a baby-faced 20-year-old when he played off the bench in the Dragons’ 2010 victory.
He was the club’s next big thing and he’s gone on to represent both NSW and Australia.
Looking around at the club’s current squad, Nightingale says there’s enough young talent to lay the platform for another premiership assault in the coming years.
There’s two in particular he’s keen to follow the development of — Euan Aitken and Taane Milne.
“Both our young centres have got big futures ahead of them,” he said.
“Very mature at a young age, especially Euan Aitken at a young age, and obviously Taane has done a great job in his first year.
“He’s only going to get better as well.
“That’s the strength of our club, we have a lot of young talent coming through and that’s where we’ll be headed in the future.”
Looking further ahead, NYC utility fullback Jai Field is receiving big raps.
Nightingale hopes the Dragons can retain the 19-year-old.
“He seems like he’s got the goods.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Nightingale will turn 30 next month.
His contract with St George Illawarra expires at the end of 2017 and he’s had no indication whether it will be renewed or not.
He’s happy with the form he’s shown throughout the 2016 season, and he will more than likely represent New Zealand at the end of year Four Nations tournament.
“I’m just hoping I can do my best to earn another contract for starters, then be part of building a squad that can be successful, not only in my career but post-my career as well,” Nightingale said.
And if he can play on into his early and mid-thirties, there’s one burning ambition driving the veteran winger forward.
He wants to add one more premiership ring to his collection.
“It would be a dream come true to be able to do that before retirement.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...p/news-story/9b487a54e3c742038c593c3ac2cec94c
