Dragons: getting shield is just minor detail

[Dragon]

Dragons: getting shield is just minor detail

BY TIM BARROW
27/07/2009 11:37:00 AM

St George Illawarra may as well be presented with the JJ Giltinan Shield when they land at Sydney airport this afternoon. Once the prized possession of rugby league's champion team, the encased shield is now handed to the NRL minor premiers.

And still six weeks out from the finals, the Dragons took a giant leap towards sealing top spot on the ladder yesterday with their convincing 29-4 thumping of the woeful Warriors in Auckland.

They are four competition points clear of their nearest rivals after the Bulldogs hit an unexpected pothole on Saturday night in the form of a Jarryd Hayne-inspired Parramatta. Their vastly superior for-and-against effectively puts them three games ahead of the Dogs and Gold Coast Titans.

While the resurgent Eels, Friday night's opponents Melbourne and the plucky Panthers remain formidable obstacles in their path before the play-offs, the Dragons form is so impressive it would take a major meltdown to miss the minor premiership.

Winger Brett Morris produced a first-half double to move to 17 tries for the season. And five-eighth Jamie Soward's remarkable transformation into one of the best attacking weapons in the competition was on show yet again yesterday.

With the red and whites already leading 18-4 at half-time, sublime Soward scooped up a kick from Warriors hooker Ian Henderson and raced 95m to score in the 61st minute. He then coolly slotted a late field goal, before a superb chip-kick put fullback Darius Boyd in to score.

Boyd also pulled off a sensational try-saving tackle as the Dragons defence denied the Warriors, even when the Aucklanders secured a glut of possession in the lead-up to half-time.

Once notorious for wilting in the heat of battle, the Dragons' ability to put opponents to the sword has been a hallmark of their season.

With master coach Wayne Bennett at the helm, St George Illawarra's premiership prospects look even better with lock Jeremy Smith, second-rower Matt Prior and centre Matt Cooper still to return.

Friday night's blockbuster against the Storm - who have played in the past three grand finals - at Kogarah will be a dress-rehearsal for how the Dragons handle the intense spotlight of the play-offs.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...ting-shield-is-just-minor-detail/1578173.aspx

 

[grandorient]

This sort of talk worries me.

Sure, we are going super well, but to say we may as well have it now is beyond me.
Anything can happen in 6 weeks and I do believe we will finish in the top 4, but a minor premiership is quite a different matter.

Perhaps I'm just too superstitious.

GO

 

[Sas2200]

The good thing is, is that we are still not playing perfect football. Sure, we lead all the stats, but Bennett knows that the players have more to offer. Im sure he has a few things still up his sleeve, and a few things we have done earlier in the season as test runs, which Soward will pull out in finals footy (kick in behind from the scrum, cross field kick on the first tackle).

Lets just keep the talk positive, and back our boys home

 

[SN0WMAN]

Problem is Jamie Soward, anything happens to him we are royally stuffed.

We have players to cover all positions but what Soward can currently do on the field.

 

[Gaba]

hornby is not a bad 5/8. with fien and head, even though the dragons may not be as dangerous i still think they wont be as bad as people think

mind you i would prefer soward to be on the field

 

[Firey_Dragon]

hornby is not a bad 5/8. with fien and head, even though the dragons may not be as dangerous i still think they wont be as bad as people think

mind you i would prefer soward to be on the field

The loss of Hornby could be covered. The loss of Soward couldn't.

We rely heavily on field position, without his quality kicking game, we'd be giving up 10m more every set on kicks. Our forwards would be nowhere near as effective. The freakish plays he can do with the ball are just a bonus. If he went down, I'd say we could only perform at 75% of what we can with him in the side.

 

[SilentAssassin]

Lets just prey that nobody else gets injured from here on out. We can't really afford ANY injuries let alone Soward.

 

[tevoro]

The loss of Hornby could be covered. The loss of Soward couldn't.

Spot on FireyDragon.
Hornby did a few kicks yesterday, although they weren't half bad, they were no where near as effective as Sowards' kicks.

(How good was that 40/20!)

 

[SilentAssassin]

Spot on FireyDragon.
Hornby did a few kicks yesterday, although they weren't half bad, they were no where near as effective as Sowards' kicks.

(How good was that 40/20!)

Hornby is just as important as Soward imo.

He runs the show in attack. I bet Creagh would be devastated to lose him.

They have really formed an awesome combination this season.

 

[grandorient]

C'mon Guys,

No one is irreplaceable, not even Jamie. Admittedly he would be most difficult to replace and if both he and Hornby were injured at the same time it would be devastating, but just one, he could and would be covered.

Surely Bennett would be able to teach, very quickly, the art of kicking like Jamie to someone who already has some of those gifts, Hornby, Fien, Head, but it would be his cleverness in other aspects of the game that would be far more difficult, but not impossible, to cover.

Yes, if he was injured, life would not be as good, but we would still grind away.

GO

 

[God-King Dean]

I hope our boys aren't reading this garbage.

Media hype so they can say 'we told you so' if we won the comp. If we don't it'll be made out to be the biggest choke in history.

I've always seen the regular season as an audition, & practice for the finals. Come September all that's been done this year means diddly squat.

 

[SuperSoward]

dell to halfback

 

[God-King Dean]

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[WonderBoyd]

If Hornby or Soward was injured i reckon Fien would move to H/B or 5/8, after all wasnt he the N/Z international halfback?

He would cover the position but without the combination of Hornby and Soward, the games would be very tough.

 

[SuperSoward]

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Quality side right there

 

[Gaba]

:lol::lol:

 

[Southernsaint]

Sometimes I wish it was a first-past-the-post system...

 

[Slippery Morris]

Lets hope both don't get injured. If so they have cover for Soward, hang on a sec, Rogers is a Newcastle. Damn the Dragons are stuffed, hope Soward stays fit...... yeah right Rogers. Head can fill in but no way near as effective as Soward. As if Soward will get injured anyway. Beau Scott protects him well and doesn't let nobody near him. Only way he will get injured is if he hurts himself

It would be a tragedy if Soward gets injured as it will be his first finals series and he needs the experience. I am sure he will fire and prove what a quality half he is.

If the Dragons win the next 3-4 games they can afford to rest some guys as the minor premiership will be wrapped up. Keep them fresh for the big games. I am sure that would be more on Bennett's mind than the Minor premiership. Going into the finals with a fully fit squad would be fantastic.

 

[watatank]

If Hornby or Soward was injured i reckon Fien would move to H/B or 5/8, after all wasnt he the N/Z international halfback?

He would cover the position but without the combination of Hornby and Soward, the games would be very tough.

I think it's more likely Head will come in or else Young shifts to the halves and Fien plays (close to) 80.

 

[Godz Illa]

I think Dan Hunt would shift to the halves. His 40-20 last night was superb