"It's good when people don't want to leave

[Father Ted]

Neville Costigan and Jeremy Smith break their silence about being booted from the Dragons

Exiled Dragons: Neville Costigan (L) and Jeremy Smith.

DISCARDS Neville Costigan and Jeremy Smith have spoken out about their controversial departures from St George Illawarra, saying they never wanted to leave the club and had hoped to finish their careers with the Dragons.



As the Dragons fight to resurrect their premiership defence, master coach Wayne Bennett has come under fire for releasing Costigan and Smith this season to accommodate star centre Mark Gasnier under the salary cap on a four-year deal worth an estimated $1.8 million.

The issue reached a flashpoint last month when Gasnier announced his shock retirement from the NRL at season's end, despite having another three years to run on his back-ended deal.

There is a prevailing sentiment the Dragons blundered by signing Gasnier to a big-money, long-term deal, a scenario that put pressure on the club as Bennett struggled to retain premiership-winning duo Costigan and Smith.

The hard-hitting back-rowers provided the ruthless defensive ethos in the Dragons' title march last year, but Costigan was offloaded to Newcastle and Smith joined the Sharks.

Costigan said he was happy in Newcastle but was shattered when Bennett urged him to consider offers from rival clubs.


"It was pretty hard to take, real hard," Costigan said.
"Wayne just said to me one day, 'there's no more room in the salary cap and I can't give you what you deserve'. It hit me hard, especially after winning the grand final with them.

"I made some good mates at the Dragons and it was really hard to leave, but I really had no choice but to move on so there was no point crying over spilt milk.

"I wanted to stay. I wanted things to go well and I wanted to finish my career there, but when I heard Gasnier was coming back (from French rugby) I thought I might be in trouble. I was disappointed at the time, but I don't have any bad feelings towards Wayne.

"He had some decisions to make and unfortunately I couldn't stay on. He's made me the player I am today and I'm looking to playing under him again next season (when Bennett joins the Knights)."

Like Costigan, Smith holds no grudge against Bennett.
"It was pretty much the salary cap for me as well," Smith said. "When things are going well, unfortunately in this day and age, with the salary cap, it's hard to keep a side together."

 

[Minh]

Wouldn't mind having either of them back.

 

[LatK7]

Disappointing they had to go...we could use them right now. They seemed to handle it like professionals though. Kudos.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Yes it is...but thats twice now that Gasnier has pulled the pin and if we knew that we probaly wouldnt have used a great slice of the salary cap money for him....thus retaining some of our forwards like Costigan and Smith....and lets face it we would have been better placed now if we would have retained them, because IMO Gaz is nowhere near the player he was......now whether thats due to on going injuries or lack of desire ......

 

[Willow]

For mine, it's still way too early for any post-mortems.

This same team won the World Club Challenge and a motza of games in the first half of the year. We were running first and were four points clear of second without Jeremy Smith and Neville Costigan.

I rate them too, but we are not losing games now because of them not being in the team.

 

[Minh]

For mine, it's still way too early for any post-mortems.

This same team won the World Club Challenge and a motza of games in the first half of the year. We were running first and were four points clear of second without Jeremy Smith and Neville Costigan.

I rate them too, but we are not losing games now because of them not being in the team.

I agree with this, we have a good enough team to win the comp, we are just out of form, injured or fatigued, a lot of the stuff written about us being soft up front is just a media beat up. I am sure we will be more aggressive come the finals and probably come next week.

 

[Willow]

Plus people forget that Jeremy Smith was missing injured for much of last year, and he hasn't exactly fired at Cronulla this year.

OK, that last bit was unfair as Sharks are on death row. But the point should be made that Smith was never a foundation stone to our premiership.

 

[Breathingfire]

Plus people forget that Jeremy Smith was missing injured for much of last year, and he hasn't exactly fired at Cronulla this year.

OK, that last bit was unfair as Sharks are on death row. But the point should be made that Smith was never a foundation stone to our premiership.

Have to disagree strongly with you there. IMO we don't beat the Tigers in the Prelim final without him. He was very uncompromising that night and led the way for the forwards. I remember Gus commenting on the aura he displayed and how revered he appeared to be amongst the team. He may have missed a chunk of the season, but finals footy is a different ball game and he along with Costigan were crucial to our success. Agree to disagree I guess.

I feel that against good defence, the team is too predicable in attack. It worked well last year because we were so dominate in the forwards that we could attack against retreating defence, but our go forward is lacking and our attack is less effective as a result. The lack of threat around the ruck area also puts more pressure on the fringes. I understand we won a string of games at the start of the year, but I think we were riding a wave of confidence and our own defence was outstanding. I still think during this period we lacked strong go forward and solid 80 minute performances. This is just the way I have viewed things from a match play perspective. My heart is still very much behind the team but my head is somewhat skeptical.

 

[TheRev]

Doesnt really matter either way! Just another headline grabber.

No one denies were missing them, but this is news from 12 months ago.

 

[steela]

Smith must live in Wollongong still, seen him around.
shame he was forced to leave.

 

[Willow]

It was one game and we don't don't know else who would have stepped up if he was injured again. Smith didn't get us to the finals. Costigan deserves more credit.

 

[Minh]

Good point again Willow Costigan was an absolute animal at prop forward I don't think he's got enough credit for what he did for us last year when we were short on props Costo stepped up and kicked ass, geez I loved the way he played the game, hard and uncompromising.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Two Dragons legends. But seriously, nice double page spread on Saints in the Sunday Tele (my wife buys it, I swear). All negative of course.

Still, as Father Ted said, its nice when people don't want to leave.

 

[The Nick]

Man I would have loved to have seen Costigan play out his career in the Red V.

But that being said, I honestly wouldn't swap Creagh and Beau Scott for anyone.

 

[counterpuncher]

Always been a Gaz fan, but geez it sh*ts me to see two blokes genuinely upset about having to leave us, then the primary reason for this move decides he's had enough of league a matter of months after the GF.

I don't think I'm too far wrong in saying that if you could turn back time, not many Saints fans would have re-signed Gasnier if it meant losing the grunt in the pack.

But it's all a bit moot now....coulda, shoulda, woulda.

 

[Godz Illa]

Before Gaz returned we used the following players in the centres: Beau Scott, Matt Prior, Neville Costigan. After Gaz returned we won the premiership. There is no coulda shoulda woulda about it

 

[The Nick]

Before Gaz returned we used the following players in the centres: Beau Scott, Matt Prior, Neville Costigan. After Gaz returned we won the premiership. There is no coulda shoulda woulda about it

We were on track to win the Premiership anyway. Yeah chucking Gaz on the right side added a bit of strike and an extra element in attack, but I maintain at the end of the day Gaz needed the Dragons more than the Dragons needed Gaz.

 

[counterpuncher]

Before Gaz returned we used the following players in the centres: Beau Scott, Matt Prior, Neville Costigan. After Gaz returned we won the premiership. There is no coulda shoulda woulda about it

He was a good enough to play two 2010 Origin games at centre. It's not like Gasnier was saving the day by returning there to fill a problem position.

 

[Godz Illa]

We were on track to win the Premiership anyway. Yeah chucking Gaz on the right side added a bit of strike and an extra element in attack, but I maintain at the end of the day Gaz needed the Dragons more than the Dragons needed Gaz.

On track like in 2009? A bit of extra strike might have been nice that year.

He was a good enough to play two 2010 Origin games at centre. It's not like Gasnier was saving the day by returning there to fill a problem position.

Scott's NSW selection was mainly a defensive choice. As strong as that side of the field was for us in defence it was a problem in attack, and adding Gasnier was a massive boost - in my opinion it gave us the edge to win the comp. As evidence count the tries generated/scored on that side of the field through the semis.

 

[Mr Red]

It was one game and we don't don't know else who would have stepped up if he was injured again. Smith didn't get us to the finals. Costigan deserves more credit.

smith was very injury prone but i would have preferred to keep costigan and saffy on upgraded contracts and lost any one of the following:

hunt
prior
green