Articles

[getsmarty]

MEMBERSHIP

Dragons reach 15,000 Red V Members
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Thu 22 Feb 2018, 09:53 AM

The St George Illawarra Dragons are excited to announce that 15,000 Red V Members have signed on for the 2018 Telstra Premiership season.

The 2018 Red V Membership program offers a range of flexible and affordable packages offering new and enhanced benefits to our loyal Red V Members.

New members are encouraged to join by 12pm, Thursday, February 22 to get their member cards in time for Round 1 at Jubilee Oval and have their name included on the 2018 member wall.

Secure your tickets to five home games at Jubilee Oval, Kogarah, five home games played at WIN Stadium, Wollongong and the traditional Anzac Day match against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium with a Red V membership.

Click here to view the 2018 Dragons Draw

Some highlights of the 2018 Membership program include:

- General admission and bronze family memberships are priced to include two children free across all packages

- Adult general admission pricing is extremely affordable at less than $200 for the full season or less than $100 for the Kogarah or Wollongong Pass.

- Anzac Day: secure your seat for the biggest event on the NRL calendar from only $20 in a 2018 membership package

- Membership delivers the best value ticket prices every time: five-game general admission passes only $99 (less than $20 per game)

- Secure your seat for all the action at the Red V traditional venues in Kogarah and Wollongong

- Flexible package options: build your own package to suit your needs. The choice is yours

- Affordability: entry level memberships from $79

- Red V benefits to your door: benefit pack delivery

- Members choice is back in 2018: choose between member cap, beanie or both

- Flexible payment options: pay by the month from less than $9 per month (adult)**

- Kids Pack: bigger and better than ever incl. member cap, cape flag, drawstring bag, sticker sheet and lanyard

For further detail, benefits and comparison, visit www.marchwithus.com.au and make the choice that best suits your needs, or simply follow the steps to join.

You can also contact our team on 1300 DRAGON or via email to: redv@dragons.com.au and we can help you.

** Monthly payment plan – a $5 account set up fee will be deducted with the first instalment and an account transaction fee of three per cent per transaction will be deducted with each instalment. Catch up payments apply for memberships ordered after 17 October 2017. Part Payment Terms and Conditions can be viewed here.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/02/22/dragons-reach-15000-red-v-members/

 

[getsmarty]

Nene Macdonald adapts to switch back to left
Author
Chris Kennedy
Timestamp
Fri 23 Feb 2018, 06:00 AM

St George Illawarra winger Nene Macdonald is just as happy on the left wing as the right and is more than comfortable with an off-season side swap with opposite flanker Jason Nightingale.

Macdonald played almost exclusively on the right edge last season, where he scored all six of his tries. He played outside Euan Aitken (or Kurt Mann or Josh Dugan when Aitken was unavailable) with Tim Lafai and Jason Nightingale combining on the left.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor looks to have pulled a switch with Nightingale set to link with Aitken on the right in 2018 with Macdonald to get a run outside offload machine Lafai.

"I've been training on the left," said Macdonald, who registered a two-try performance on the left flank in a trial against Hull FC last Saturday night.

"Me and 'Gypsy' (Nightingale) swapped around a bit last year.

"I played all on the left when I was at the Titans and then at Roosters I played left and right so it doesn't really bother me where I play.

"If I play left that's exciting, it's a bit of a change for me and we'll see how I go."

Dragons 24 - 18 Hull FC

While new halfback Ben Hunt and a fully fit Aitken should hopefully ensure more attacking flair on the Dragons' right edge this year, Macdonald believes he can thrive outside attacking maestros Lafai and Gareth Widdop on the left.

"With Gaz on the left, he and Laf have formed a very good relationship between each other so it will be a good little combo. Me and Euey are very close as well so it will be exciting to see how we go," Macdonald added.

"That's what I'm hoping for [receiving more quality ball], they're two completely different centres, Euan's more of a runner, he's hard to contain and tackle and Lafs is very good at drawing in players and offloading and passing so they're two completely different centres so I'm pretty excited to see what happens this year."

Even getting back on the field against Hull was an achievement for Macdonald after an injury-disrupted pre-season following his World Cup campaign with Papua New Guinea.

"I haven't been running too much [due to a knee injury]," Macdonald said.

"I had a few niggles after the World Cup. In the England game (a 36-6 quarter-final loss) I hurt my knee which had given me a bit of trouble last year.

"I missed the first couple of weeks of training but the last couple of weeks I've been running out with the boys so it's been really enjoyable and got me a bit more hungry."

McGregor embraces Charity Shield


https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/23/nene-macdonald-adapts-to-switch-back-to-left/

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons visit the region’s schools on the way to Mudgee

• Mark Rayner

News
+25

• 

School kids across the Central West have been treated to a visit by some of St George Illawarra’s biggest stars.

Players have spent the last three days visiting schools at Kandos, Rylstone, Dunedoo, Lithgow and Mudgee to deliver important messages about respect, nutrition and belonging.

More than 5200 students had the chance to interact with their heroes including Paul Vaughan, Euan Aitken and Jeremy Latimore and Australian Jillaroos star Kezie Apps, who works part-time with the Dragons and shows that girls and women can make their name in the sport.

The players really enjoyed and embraced the encounters, Dragons community manager Paul Everill said.

“Our players have been spreading important messages to children from a number of schools and they take the job very seriously,” he said.

“It’s more than just a chance to say hello. They are really excited to be able to use their profile to assist teachers and talk about some really important parts of the school curriculum.

“There is a well being assembly with a an interactive presentation, and an opportunity for questions. They do a lot of preparation to deliver that message.”

Prior to their visit to Mudgee, the club has embarked on a similar campaign in their own area, visiting 70 schools in the Illawarra and South Coast regions and another 20 in the St George area.

Mr Everill said it was important to the Dragons to be able to visit children in the wider region, who might not get the chance to see NRL players very often.

He said the players would visit schools again when they returned for their clash with the Canberra Raiders in May.

“We’re very committed forging a strong relationship with Mudgee and the surrounding region over the next two years and hopefully beyond,” he said.

“We believe country areas are the life blood of rugby league and we are excited by the reaction we have received.”

Players also paid a visit to local offices of major sponsor Westfund to for a meet and greet with staff.


http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/st...sit-the-regions-schools-on-the-way-to-mudgee/

 

[getsmarty]

Dufty still a work in progress

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

ON THE UP: It will take time for Dragons young-gun Matt Dufty to feel fully comfortable at NRL level according to premiership-winning centre Mark Gasnier. Picture: Adam McLean

HE’S set tongues wagging with his preseason form but former Dragon Mark Gasnier has warned the red v faithful not to heap to much expectation on young fullback Matt Dufty.

Dufty was the pick of the Dragons squad in their trial win over Hull last week and only needs to make it through Saturday’s Charity Shield to get the No. 1 jumper for round one.

It will see him add to the seven NRL games he managed last season. Gasnier was full of praise for his talent, but was wary of placing extra pressure on the 21-year-old.

“There’s no doubt that Dufty’s going to be a good player,” Gasnier said.

“I’m quite confident and happy to say that, but there are areas he’s going to need to work on. It’s no different to anyone else coming into [first] grade, like myself when I first came into grade.

“When people are doing video on you all the time, there’s little parts of his game that he’ll tinker with so he’s not predictable.

“His passing game will develop and, at his age, it’s about confidence.

“I think he’ll get a lot better but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him.

“He’s definitely an exciting player but I don’t think we should expect him to turn games on their head on his own.”

He’s looked well at home at NRL level but Gasnier said it often takes a number of seasons to feel truly comfortable in elite company.

“Once he feels a sense of belonging, and that’s a huge thing in rugby league,” Gasnier said.

“It takes you a good full season or two seasons to have that and to feel like you own that position.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5247437/dufty-still-a-work-in-progress/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

New halves will take time to gel: Gasnier

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

PATIENCE: Dragons great Mark Gasnier says Ben Hunt will need some time to gel with halves partner Gareth Widdop. Picture: AAP

ST GEORGE Illawarra great Mark Gasnier has urged fans to be patient when it comes to new halves pairing Ben Hunt and Gareth Widdop, saying it could take several rounds for the duo to fully click into gear.

Hunt and Widdop had their first outing as a pair in last week’s trial victory over Hull at ANZ Stadium and will look to build on the performance in Saturday’s Charity Shield clash with Souths at Mudgee.

Having both been involved in last year’s World Cup, they’ve had limited time to gel on the practice track ahead of their season-opener against Brisbane.

Gasnier isn’t expecting a slow start from either man, but says their best work as a combination could be a little while coming.

“I’m not expecting miracles from Hunt and Widdop early,” Gasnier, now an analyst with Fox Sports, said.

“You’re still going to see good things from them but I think, to maximise each other talents, you need time to build that.

“Widdop will get a really good understanding of what Ben will want, Ben will get a better understanding of what Gareth wants, when they want the football and those sort of things.

“After about eight or nine rounds, it just becomes habit. You’re two steps ahead because you know what they’re going to do and that’s when instinct and reaction takes over.

“We saw the way [Anthony] Milford clicked with Ben Hunt when he arrived in Brisbane after about six or seven rounds and you just thought ‘wow’ what a combination.

“I think we’ll see something similar [at the Dragons]. I still expect them to win games but I think, by the time you get to round nine, that’s when we’ll see the best of them.”

Many have been quick to label Hunt’s six-year $6 million deal a gamble on the Dragons’ part, but Gasnier expects it to be win-win for club and player.

“If you get the opportunity to get a half like that why wouldn’t you try lock them into a long-term deal,” he said.

GIVING BACK: Mark Gasnier conducted a coaching clinic for members of the SCORE Dragons team at Corrimal this week as part of of Fox League's Full-On Footy tour. Picture: Adam McLean

“You’ve go to remember they’ve re-signed Gareth for an extra four years and [Cameron] McInnes has re-signed as well so straight away you’ve got stability in your spine. They’re not old by any means.

“You’ve got to back yourself sometimes in recruitment and when you’re in a rebuilding phase and trying to build stability you need to base it around the positions you prioritise.

“Mary obviously identified the halves and wanted to build around that so I think it’s a good move. I think Ben Hunt will be really good for the club.”

The Dragons have made just one finals appearance since Gasnier – a 2010 premiership-winner – retired in 2011, but he’s confident they can return to finals this season.

“It’s a genuine top-eight team. Barring injury or suspension, they should make the eight,” Gasnier said.

“If I’m Paul McGregor I’m really happy with where they’re at. He’s got some genuine punch now in the forwards, he’s got great strike, he’s a got a little bit of depth there to.

“I’d just be hoping to get through the Charity Shield with no injuries and I’d be really happy and confident heading into 2018.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5246945/new-halves-will-take-time-to-gel-gasnier/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons ordered to up the intensity

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

SKIPPERS: Charity Shield captains Sam Burgess and Gareth Widdop at Mudgee
ST GEORGE Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has urged his side to take a more aggressive mindset into Saturday’s Charity Shield showdown with South Sydney after a lacklustre start against Hull last week.

The Dragons ultimately went on to defeat the Super League heavyweights 24-18 but McGregor said he was left concerned by his side’s sluggish start.

As he hones in on his final 17 for round one, McGregor sad he’ll be looking for a mental shift this weekend.

“We made seven line breaks, we scored five tries to three but defensively we need to be better,” McGregor said.

“We’ve got to have a better attitude more than anything. I thought we got through the game last week. I spoke to the boys and they all agreed we need to go to the game this week and make it more about us.

“I thought last week was an exhibition match played in good spirit, but we certainly didn’t bring he aggressive attitude that we needed to play rugby league.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5247546/dragons-ordered-to-up-the-intensity/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt already making difference to Dragons attack: Nightingale
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Sun 25 Feb 2018, 03:00 PM

St George Illawarra Dragons winger Jason Nightingale has admonished himself for failing to score in Saturday night’s Charity Shield loss but believes the fact he had three tries disallowed is a promising sign of things to come with Ben Hunt in the team.

Nightingale was denied three times by the video referee in the 22-18 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mudgee after being ruled to have put a hand into touch on one occasion, losing the ball over the line on another and being held back by Robert Jennings while chasing a kick.

The last one resulted in Jennings being sin-binned but match officials decided against awarding a penalty try as they could not be sure Nightingale would have beaten Dane Gagai to the ball.

“It’s the wingers' job to score tries and I definitely bombed that second one, it is just a case of hanging on to the ball,” Nightingale said.

However, the Kiwi international said playing outside Hunt on the right wing meant he was likely to get many more chances this season, while he had also freed up five-eighth Gareth Widdop to work with the players on the left side of the ruck.

Winger Nene McDonald and fullback Matt Dufty scored tries on the left after receiving passes from Widdop but Hunt repeatedly created opportunities on the right edge, including a cross-field chip taken by an unmarked Nightingale only for his finger to glance the sideline.

Dragons halfback Ben Hunt. Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
“That is the sort of thing he can recognise. It wasn’t a set play, it was just something he saw and reacted to,” Nightingale said of Hunt’s kick.

“Things like that create opportunities and I am very much looking forward to a fruitful year outside him because he will be able to create those type of opportunities on that edge.”

Despite the Dragons' only second-half try being scored after Leeson Ah Mau crashed through the defence near the Rabbitohs line, Nightingale said the players and coaching staff were confident in their attacking ability with Hunt calling the shots.

“I don’t think our attack is a problem at the moment. We are creating plenty of opportunities and we are all seeing plenty of ball, which is great.”

However, their defence is causing concern, particularly after the ease with which Damien Cook and John Sutton broke into the clear around the ruck, and Nightingale said improvement was needed before the round one Telstra Premiership clash with the Brisbane Broncos at Jubilee Oval on March 8.

“It is the way that we are conceding metres and the way we are conceding points that is alarming,” Nightingale said.

“That needs to be addressed but I don’t think it is too big a thing, we have done plenty of contact at training.

“We haven’t change anything at training from last year, if anything we have probably done more. It is just that physicality on game day.”

Graham rattles Johnston's rib cage

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/25...e-illawarra-dragons-attack-jason-nightingale/

 

[getsmarty]

NRL NEWS

Time to raise the physicality: McGregor
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Sat 24 Feb 2018, 11:30 PM

St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor has demanded his team be more physical in defence when they face Brisbane Broncos in the opening match of the Telstra Premiership at Jubilee Oval on March 8.

The Dragons had their final trial hit-out in the Charity Shield against South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mudgee and after dominating the opening 20 minutes they fell away to lose 22-18.

McGregor said four blown scoring opportunities, including three disallowed tries to winger Jason Nightingale, proved costly but it was the defence he was most concerned about after similar problems in last weekend’s match against Hull FC.

Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook caused headaches for the Dragons around the ruck and had a 50-metre run out of dummy half which led to a try for back-rower Angus Crichton, while five-eighth Cody Walker also made a long-range break.

“The big lesson tonight is they were a little bit more physical than we were and dominated the play-the- ball area a bit quicker than we did, and that is what we have got to work on in the next 10 days,” McGregor said.

Graham rattles Johnston's rib cage

“We have got to be physically more dominant as a side come round one. They got us around that scrum line where they generated a play the ball and took that short side on a few times, and got some metres on us.”

Fullback Matt Dufty was again one of the stars, while Ben Hunt was a run threat on the right side of the Dragons attack in his second match since joining the club.

“Our halves played 80 minutes, which is nice, as did Duft out the back,” McGregor said.

“He certainly causes the opposition some grief with his speed and he is getting a better tactical understanding and that combination with Gareth [Widdop] and Benny will grow over a period of time.

“It is nice to have that extra threat because of his speed and ball-playing ability. At times, we used it a little too much so we have got to get that balance of the power and shift right.

“It is going to take a little bit of time with the combinations with our attack but we created four more opportunities we didn’t score points off.

"We need to score them and execute our finish better.”

McGregor said the visit to Mudgee, where the Dragons will play Canberra on May 20, had been beneficial and his squad will be at full strength for the opening round against the Broncos.

“We have come through unscathed again,” he said. “We have done a lot of community work which is good, we have got around to 16 schools in the last four days and visited some hospitals, and we are going home all healthy.”

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/02/25/time-to-raise-the-physicality-mcgregor/

 

[getsmarty]

McGregor concerned by fragility in the middle

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Dragons coach Paul McGregor. Picture: John Veage

THEY’VE produced two solid preseason outings, but St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor says his side will need to address defensive deficiencies in the ruck ahead of their season-opener against against Brisbane.

The Dragons edged out Hull 24-18 in their first hit-out last week before going down 22-18 in Saturday’s Charity Shield clash at Mudgee.

McGregor found little cause for concern despite the scoreboard, but Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook did give his former Illawarra Cutters coach something to think about ahead of round one.

Cook all but assured he’ll get the nod as Rabbitohs No. 9 after exposing the Dragons from dummy-half while Cody Walker also found some joy through the middle.

McGregor said it will be top of his list ahead of next Thursday’s road trip to Suncorp Stadium.

“The big lesson was that they were a little bit more physical than we were and dominated the play-the-ball area a lot quicker than we did,” McGregor said.

“Cooky’s good at it. They got us around that scrum-line where they generated a [quick] play-the-ball and took that short-side on a couple of times and got some metres on us.

“We’ve definitely got to be more physical in our transition in our tackle and get off our line to bang and make the collision initially. We can generate line-speed from that.

“We’ve got to be physically more dominant as a side come round one. That’s what we’ve really got to work on the next 10 days.”

Saturday saw another encouraging performance from the club’s new-look spine with Matt Dufty again proving a stand-out at the back.

“He’s certainly causing the opposition some grief with his speed and he’s getting a better tactical understanding,” McGregor said.

“Our halves played 80 minutes with Duft at the back which was nice.

“That combination will grow with Gareth [Widdop] and Benny [Hunt] over time.

“It’s nice to have that extra threat because of his speed and his ball-playing ability.

“At times we used it too much so we’ve still got to get that balance of our power and our shift right and execute our finishes a little bit better.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5248953/brittle-ruck-a-concern-for-mcgregor/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons coach Paul McGregor says new recruits can make St George Illawarra genuine competitors
Scott Bailey, AAP
26 minutes ago
AFTER almost four years at the helm, Paul McGregor has a roster of his own choosing and believes he finally has the blueprint to bring extended success at St George Illawarra.

Still fuelled by the disappointment of last year’s late-season capitulation, no other team has purpose-filled the holes in their roster like the Dragons for 2018.

After sitting third at the halfway point of the season, a litany of close losses at the back-end condemned the Dragons to ninth spot.

They trust the expensive acquisition of Queensland playmaker Ben Hunt, giving Gareth Widdop his first recognised halfback to partner since leaving Melbourne in 2014, will go a long way towards solving that problem.

Ben Hunt has a chance to shine at the Dragons. (Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“We’ve got to add to our game plan and add a bit more around our game management to close out games that we lost when leading at halftime,” McGregor says. “Ben’s an experienced player. He’s played 180 games and wears the No.7 so he needs to execute the game plan and be dominant. Control the tempo of the game and know the situation and what is required.

“He’s got to make small adjustments during the game when something is not going to plan as well.”

The recruitment of Hunt, along with veteran England forward James Graham and the development of fullback Matt Dufty, will further the Dragons’ attacking blueprint.

Still keen to base much of their attack off their high-powered forwards game, Graham will add another element with the ball-playing ability he became noted for at Canterbury.

That could also play into the hands of the more nimble Dufty, who impressed in pre-season to lock down the No.1 jersey following Josh Dugan’s departure.

Matt Dufty has Dragons fans just a little excited. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“I feel with a very dominant half we can play a little bit differently than we have in the past,” McGregor says.

“James can ball play but he can also tuck it under the jumper and use a nice step to find the ground to generate the play the ball.

“There will be times when he will need to do both depending on who we are playing and what time of the game it is.

“We can add a little bit extra, especially with Duft at the back who travels across the field a bit more than a bigger fullback like Josh.

“He has speed and can catch and pass almost like another half.”

Defensively there will be slight changes too after McGregor identified a need for more consistent line speed, as well as fixing a worrying habit of conceding tries after penalties and errors.

Most exciting for McGregor and Dragons fans is the fact that each of their core players is now signed on well beyond 2018.

Hunt will be with the club until 2022, while Widdop has extended until at least the end of 2021. Hooker Cameron McInnes will also be there until then, while Dufty re-signed until the end of 2019.

“We’ve got a good window from the next couple of years,” McGregor says. “The roster is certainly more advanced than it has been in the past.

“Cameron had the best year he’s had in 2017. Gareth got five-eighth of the year and ran third in Dally Ms and then you add Ben Hunt to that.

“We’ve got an exciting prospect in Matt Dufty. It’s now just getting your cohesion right, and to make sure everyone stays hungry and happy.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/f0b13f52301e322b301c3cc3ac31d9c4

 

[Saints Forever]

So put simply by Mary, Ben Hunt will create plan B for the team.

Probably the best decision Mary has made in 4 years. Lord knows we
are already dead if we rely on Mary to create plan B

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Dragons coach Paul McGregor says new recruits can make St George Illawarra genuine competitors
Scott Bailey, AAP
26 minutes ago
AFTER almost four years at the helm, Paul McGregor has a roster of his own choosing and believes he finally has the blueprint to bring extended success at St George Illawarra.

Still fuelled by the disappointment of last year’s late-season capitulation, no other team has purpose-filled the holes in their roster like the Dragons for 2018.

After sitting third at the halfway point of the season, a litany of close losses at the back-end condemned the Dragons to ninth spot.

They trust the expensive acquisition of Queensland playmaker Ben Hunt, giving Gareth Widdop his first recognised halfback to partner since leaving Melbourne in 2014, will go a long way towards solving that problem.

Ben Hunt has a chance to shine at the Dragons. (Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“We’ve got to add to our game plan and add a bit more around our game management to close out games that we lost when leading at halftime,” McGregor says. “Ben’s an experienced player. He’s played 180 games and wears the No.7 so he needs to execute the game plan and be dominant. Control the tempo of the game and know the situation and what is required.

“He’s got to make small adjustments during the game when something is not going to plan as well.”

The recruitment of Hunt, along with veteran England forward James Graham and the development of fullback Matt Dufty, will further the Dragons’ attacking blueprint.

Still keen to base much of their attack off their high-powered forwards game, Graham will add another element with the ball-playing ability he became noted for at Canterbury.

That could also play into the hands of the more nimble Dufty, who impressed in pre-season to lock down the No.1 jersey following Josh Dugan’s departure.

Matt Dufty has Dragons fans just a little excited. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“I feel with a very dominant half we can play a little bit differently than we have in the past,” McGregor says.

“James can ball play but he can also tuck it under the jumper and use a nice step to find the ground to generate the play the ball.

“There will be times when he will need to do both depending on who we are playing and what time of the game it is.

“We can add a little bit extra, especially with Duft at the back who travels across the field a bit more than a bigger fullback like Josh.

“He has speed and can catch and pass almost like another half.”

Defensively there will be slight changes too after McGregor identified a need for more consistent line speed, as well as fixing a worrying habit of conceding tries after penalties and errors.

Most exciting for McGregor and Dragons fans is the fact that each of their core players is now signed on well beyond 2018.

Hunt will be with the club until 2022, while Widdop has extended until at least the end of 2021. Hooker Cameron McInnes will also be there until then, while Dufty re-signed until the end of 2019.

“We’ve got a good window from the next couple of years,” McGregor says. “The roster is certainly more advanced than it has been in the past.

“Cameron had the best year he’s had in 2017. Gareth got five-eighth of the year and ran third in Dally Ms and then you add Ben Hunt to that.

“We’ve got an exciting prospect in Matt Dufty. It’s now just getting your cohesion right, and to make sure everyone stays hungry and happy.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/f0b13f52301e322b301c3cc3ac31d9c4

OKB1 says, “A real coach can make us a top four side.”

Summary - McGregor knows his limitations and is hoping to scrape into the eight, on the back of his new signings.

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons: 2018 NRL season preview
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Tue 27 Feb 2018, 07:00 AM

After years of inconsistency and close shaves, the St George Illawarra Dragons appear primed for success based on the players they have acquired and the talent they already have at their disposal.

The addition of James Graham should prove a particularly beneficial signing, given that he is likely to act as a forward leader for the club.

Graham is expected to build upon the dominance of the Dragons forwards from 2017 that saw both prop Paul Vaughan and lock Jack de Belin top the stats for metres made in their respective positions.

With a roster that Dragons coach Paul McGregor labels as the best he has had in his time at the club, the pressure is now on the players to live up to that expectation.

Doing so is easier said than done but the Dragons faithful will be hopeful that it rings as true on the field as it does on paper. McGregor has a talented and exciting roster to work with.

What's new

The deal was done 12 months ago so fans have had plenty of time to get used to Ben Hunt being the Dragons No.7 but he only started training in January, along with English prop James Graham.

Hunt was targeted as the top-shelf halfback the Dragons haven't had in the 19 seasons of the joint venture, given that Trent Barrett’s preferred position was five-eighth, and the hope is that he lives up to the hype.

It is universally agreed that Graham’s leadership up front will benefit the Dragons forward pack and team-mates are already talking up the influence he has had at training.

Soward's Say: Dragons in 2018

The draw

The Dragons begin the season with four of their first six games at home, including the Telstra Premiership’s opening match at Jubilee Oval against Brisbane, so it will be important they again get off to a good start.

After four years of splitting home games between Kogarah, Wollongong and Sydney’s bigger venues, the Dragons will now play five matches each at Jubilee Oval and WIN Stadium.

The annual ANZAC Day clash with Sydney Roosters will be Allianz Stadium, while the Dragons are taking their round 11 fixture against Canberra to Mudgee.

The Roosters, Cronulla Sharks, Melbourne Storm, Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels, New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights are the teams the Dragons are drawn to meet twice during the regular season.

The stat that gives you hope

The Dragons averaged the most metres per game (1,706m) in the NRL last season, led the competition for off-loads (353) and the amount of metres they made from effective off-loads (110.6m per game).

Paul Vaughan (3419m) and Jack De Belin (3177m) were among the NRL leaders in their positions for metres gained, as was Tim Lafai (3168m) and the centre also led the way for offloads (64).

With Hunt wearing the No.7 jersey, the Dragons will have a halfback who runs the ball and can capitalise on the work of the forwards.

St George lllawarra Dragons forward Jack de Belin. Scott Davis / NRL Photos
What you need to know NRL Fantasy wise

Jack de Belin's ($861,000) combination of high defensive workload combined with a knack for an offload makes him tailor-made for NRL Fantasy, and fellow tackle machine Cameron McInnes ($811,000) isn't far behind. Paul Vaughan ($799,000) is the highest-rated prop in Fantasy at the start of the new season, James Graham ($671,000) is a little under-priced if he gets back to his best and Luciano Leilua ($228,000) could be a bargain if he can break into an admittedly stacked forward pack.

The coach

Since taking over the Dragons midway through the 2014 season, Paul McGregor has gradually reconfigured a playing roster that featured big name outside backs but was light on forward power.

As a result, the Dragons now have one of the top forward packs in the NRL and with the addition of Graham and Hunt, McGregor has described the 2018 roster as the best he has coached.

“I feel now that I have got a roster that I am totally comfortable with, I think it is the best roster in the time I have been at the club,” McGregor said.

Contract matters

The Dragons have one of the most settled rosters in the NRL this season, with Jason Nightingale and Lesson Ah Mau the biggest names coming off contract.

Promising forward Hame Sele is likely to be a player the Dragons will be keen to keep, but Jeremy Latimore, Mitchell Allgood and Jordan Pereira were only signed for this season on one year deals.

Dragons hooker Cameron McInnes. Robb Cox/NRL Photos
The burning question

Is Ben Hunt the superstar halfback the Dragons have been seeking since the merger of St George and Illawarra in 1999?

Representative bolter

Cameron McInnes was considered a future South Sydney Rabbitohs captain before joining the Dragons last year and many at the club have been impressed by his leadership values and work ethic.

With no established NSW Origin hooker, McInnes is expected to come into contention for the Blues No.9 jersey if he can build on an impressive 2017 season in which he topped the tackle count across the NRL (1155), and had a 95 per cent tackle efficiency.

The player you should follow on social media


When captain Gareth Widdop isn’t playing or training, he’ll often be at the beach and posts photos or videos on his Instagram account, including one recently of a shark.

Widdop also posted footage from a drone he was testing last month.

The quote

Two of the last three years we have been in the top four over the halfway of the competition so it is about maintaining that standard regardless of the opposition we play on a weekly basis.

St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor
Soward's prediction

NRL.com expert Jamie Soward says… ''James Graham is a big recruit from the Bulldogs. They wanted professionalism at the Dragons and they got their man in James Graham.

''St George Illawarra Dragons finish 8th.''

Roster

Ben Hunt, Darren Nicholls, Euan Aitken, Gareth Widdop, Jai Field, Jason Nightingale, Jordan Pereira, Kurt Mann, Matthew Dufty, Nene Macdonald, Patrick Herbert, Reuben Garrick, Steven Marsters, Timoteo Lafai, Tristan Sailor, Zac Lomax, Blake Lawrie, Cameron McInnes, Hame Sele, Jack de Belin, Jackson Ford, Jacob Host, James Graham, Jeremy Latimore, Josh Kerr, Leeson Ah Mau, Luciano Leilua, Mitch Allgood, Paul Vaughan, Reece Robson, Tariq Sims, Tyson Frizell.

Note: These club squads are subject to change. Each club is required to submit 29 of their official 30-man playing squad to the NRL by March 1. The final spot in theses rosters can remain free up until June 30.


https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/27/st-george-illawarra-dragons-2018-nrl-season-preview/

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons' big week in the Central West
A massive thanks to Mudgee and the Mid-Western Regional Council for hosting the Dragons for the Westfund Charity Shield. Watch what the Dragons got up to in the Central West during their visit.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/02/27/dragons-in-the-mid-west/

 

[getsmarty]

Our experts - and fans - predict where your team will finish
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In numbers

• Most-fancied team
  
  Cowboys (Average pick - 1.9)
• Least-fancied team
  
  Titans (Average pick - 15.7)
• Biggest gap
  
  Warriors (4th-16th)

The 2018 NRL season is a week away - where will your team be at the end of 26 rounds? Read our experts' picks below, and vote on where you think every team will finish.

The top contenders
North Queensland were picked as minor premiers by three of our seven panellists (Adam Pengilly, James Buckley and Phil Lutton), with the remaining four picking them either second or third.

Heavyweights: The Cowboys or Storm were backed to be minor premiers by six of our seven experts.

Melbourne weren't far behind, also gaining three first-place selections (from Chris Barrett, Adrian Proszenko and Roy Ward) along with a second, third, fourth and fifth.

The one remaining first-place prediction (Matt Bungard) went to the Sydney Roosters, with all seven writers picking them in the top four.

Parramatta were also well liked, with six of seven picking them to make the finals, and three predicting them for the top four - only Roy Ward has them missing the finals.

Brisbane were picked to make the finals unanimously, but only received two selections in the top four.

Contenders: The Broncos were picked in the finals unanimously.

Photo: AAP
2016 Premiers Cronulla were picked in the top four by James Buckley, in the top eight by four other writers and missing the finals in Phil Lutton and Roy Ward's picks.

The middle of the pack

Perhaps the most divisive team of all, Penrith were picked as high as third (Adam Pengilly) and as low as 13th (Roy Ward.)

Polarising: Peter Wallace of the Panthers.

Photo: AAP
The St George-Illawarra Dragons narrowly missed out on last year's finals but the addition of Ben Hunt and James Graham was enough for five of our experts to pick them in the eight.

Manly were the least fancied of last year's top eight, with only Phil Lutton picking them to make the finals again. However, each of the other prediction hovereed just outside the top eight, from ninth to 11th.

Canberra were picked inside the top eight by Matt Bungard and Roy Ward, with a couple of other picks just outside the finals places.

Surprise packets: Several experts are backing Souths to bounce back in 2018.

Photo: AAP
South Sydney, somewhat surprisingly, are favoured to bounce back into the finals by the trio of Chris Barrett, Phil Lutton and James Buckley

The long shots

None of our experts think that Newcastle will come last again, but only Roy Ward picked them to make the finals.

The Canterbury Bulldogs were picked to scrape into eighth by Chris Barrett, with nobody else picking them higher than 10th.

Unfancied: The Gold Coast Titans were not picked higher than 15th by anyone.

The NZ Warriors were picked between 14th and 16th by six of our seven experts - with Roy Ward going completely against the grain and backing them for the top four.

Only two teams were completely left out of the top eight by our panel of seven - the Wests Tigers were picked highest by James Buckley at 11th, and with one wooden spoon vote from Roy Ward.

Finally, the poor old Gold Coast Titans couldn't find a friend - being picked 15th by Chris Barrett and Roy Ward, and last by everybody else.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...re-your-team-will-finish-20180228-p4z25f.html

 

[getsmarty]

Nightingale set to join 250 club
Jason Nightingale reflects on his career and looks to the future ahead of his milestone with the Dragons.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/28/nightingale-set-to-join-250-club/

 

[getsmarty]

RED V VETERAN LEANING TOWARDS PLAYING ON

Jason Nightingale of the Dragons in action.Source: Getty Images
Jason Nightingale has left the door open for him to play on in 2019.

The veteran St George Illawarra winger told Market Watch he’s leaning towards playing on for another year but will wait until mid-season to make an official call.

Turning 32 in September and just five games away from reaching the 250 milestone, the 2010 premiership winner said his mind feels fresh but it’s his body that will make the decision for him.

“It’s very much a wait and see how I’m feeling,” Nightingale said.

“When you get to this age it’s not like you go ‘sign me up, hurry up’. It’s more how I feel. I feel good now and I’ll wait and see how I feel in the middle of the year.

“It’s more a by feel year when you’re a year to year proposition.”

The Kiwi international revealed he has zero interest in moving overseas to play in England or France.

Jason Nightingale of the Dragons scores in the corner.Source: AAP
He also noted that he won’t play for any other NRL club so should he wish to continue playing, the Dragons coaching staff will need to be on board or he’ll retire.

“If you ask me right now, I’d like to play on in 2019 but ask me again in Round 10,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want to go to any other club or England. I’m set up with my family. My wife has a good job and raising our family in the shire, I’m happy. I’d love to go out when my body says its time.”


https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...e/news-story/377362658bbf5b20d31c39d32d3e5fe4

 

[getsmarty]

OPINION

Why Norm Provan should be the next Immortal
Author
Margie McDonald Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Wed 28 Feb 2018, 10:32 AM

He is half the NRL Telstra Premiership trophy. He should be the next Immortal.

Norm Provan might be more familiar to the broader church of rugby league fans as the taller guy in bronze, embracing the shorter Arthur Summons as they trudged off a sodden SCG pitch at the end of the 1963 grand final between St George and Wests.

But Provan's career achievements far excel his 193cm, 99kg frame, which itself was impressive on a football field.

With NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg announcing on Tuesday that a ninth Immortal would be named this year – the first since Andrew Johns in 2012 – the debate will be on about who should next shoulder this immense honour.

Remember the game started in 1908, so a name to herald that 110th anniversary should be a significant one.

It is hard to compare the careers of players over the generations, when so much in rugby league has changed.

But a few things haven't – including how hard it is to win a premiership, and how difficult it is to break into the Australian Kangaroos team, or a state rep team.

Norm Provan in action for St George. NRL Photos
Provan did all that – it's just that he did it before the majority of present-day fans were born.

They will be more familiar with Australia's Test coach, Queensland's record-breaking Origin mentor, and the only player to be selected in four Kangaroos Tours, Mal Meninga.

Or they might think four-time premiership-winner Darren Lockyer, who is still the most capped Kangaroos player (59 Tests), and one who broke a host of other records as a sublime fullback and five-eighth, is a worthy candidate – and they'd be right.

• Renouf: Why Meninga and Lockyer should be next Immortals

You could add winger Ken Irvine - who still holds the record for most first-grade tries with 212, hooker Noel Kelly or second-rower Ron Coote as possible candidates – and you'd be right again. All three were in rugby league's Centenary Team named in 2008.

There's plenty of backing for current stars like Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston. But it is understood a player must be retired for at least five years before they are considered.

Regardless of the chatter, Provan was special.

He put his body through 15 first-grade seasons with St George (1951-65), playing in 10 winning grand finals – his last four as captain-coach. He played 18 Tests (1954-1960) and 27 games for NSW.

He then coached St George to a preliminary final in 1968, before a season with Parramatta (1975) and two years with Cronulla, which included the 1978 grand final loss to Manly Warringah.

However, if you're still not sure about Norm Provan then you need only look at the Provan-Summons trophy – the pinnacle for clubs in the Telstra Premiership.

Rugby league great Ron Coote. NRL Photos
The pose was first captured in a photograph by Fairfax's John O'Gready known as "The Gladiators".

O'Gready captured near-perfectly the exhaustion, courage, competitiveness and mateship of rugby league, especially on display in high-octane games like grand finals.

The 85-year-old Provan was born in the NSW Riverina region, retired to Queensland, and usually makes the trek to each Dally M Awards with Arthur Summons to present the medal struck in their names, one that is for the player voted by fans as their favourite.

It is now time for Provan to receive his due recognition.

The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of the NRL, ARLC, NRL clubs or state associations.

Related





https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/03/01/why-norm-provan-should-be-the-next-immortal/

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt ready to take on old teammates
Dragons recruit Ben Hunt is eager to face his former club, the Broncos, in Round one

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/01/hunt-ready-to-take-old-teammates/

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons captain Widdop happy to have stable halfback in Hunt

March 1, 2018. St George Illawarra Dragons captain Gareth Widdop, at the NRL season launch in Sydney, says he can’t wait to take the field with off-season recruits Ben Hunt and James Graham and “it’s just good to know we’ve got a stable halfback (in Hunt) for the next few years”. Widdop also says the competition is tough but thinks Melbourne will do well again. (AAP Video/Carol Cho)

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/cri...py-to-have-stable-halfback-in-hunt/vi-BBJJoUo