Dragons thrashed by red-hot Roosters in final outing at Kogarah
Local Sport
DEJECTED: The Dragons had no answers against the Roosters on Saturday night. Picture: NRL Photos
ONE team is making an ominous run at the premiership, the other can't wait for the season to end. It wasn't hard to tell which was which as the Roosters thumped the Dragons 34-12 at Kogarah on Saturday night.
The Roosters led 18-0 after just 14 minutes, running in three tries in the blink of an eye, and led 28-0 at halftime after a blistering opening 40 minutes that any side would struggle to contain - let alone one that's shut up shop for the year.
The Roosters were guilty of that in the second half, managing to add just one try to their tally, but the damage was well and truly done in what was one of the most impressive halves of attacking football produced by any side this season.
It leaves under-fire coach Paul McGregor with the task of drawing something out of his side in their final two matches against the Tigers and Titans to avoid finishing with the equal-fewest number of wins in the joint-venture's 21 seasons.
Steve Price's Dragons finished with just seven wins to finish 14th in 2013 but the Dragons risk finishing a rung below that if they can't win at least one of their remaining two games.
"We had no intent in our defence, pretty simple," McGregor said.
"You've got to have a bit more want than that. At different stages we had four in the tackle and they were just standing and playing the ball quick.
"We weren't getting onside, we weren't adjusting, we weren't traveling in numbers to get forward hard and one-on-one stops at the end of the shift weren't good enough. The first 40 minutes was nowhere near a standard we can accept.
"Our last three losses out of the four we conceded one try in the second half. We did that tonight, but those three games we were in the game fighting for a win up until the last five minutes.
"We were never in the game tonight. It was nowhere near good enough."
If their was a slither of a silver lining it no doubt came in the long-awaited debut of Tristan Sailor, who was a late inclusion after Ben Hunt failed to recover from a concussion suffered in last week's loss to Cronulla.
Corey Norman shifted to the halves allowing Sailor to debut at fullback and earn penalties on two of his first three touches, the first ensuring the opening kickoff sailed dead on the full and the second when he was hammered by fellow debutant Billy Smith in midair as he reeled in a bomb from Cooper Cronk.
The son of dual-International Wendell also grabbed his side's first try midway through the second half in what will no doubt be the start of a memorable career - but it was a thoroughly forgettable night for his side.
In contrast the ironically named Billy Smith could not have enjoyed a better start to his career, with the 19-year-old grabbing his first NRL try on an assist from James Tedesco in the 14th minute, part of a five-try blitz from the visitors in the opening stanza
Joseph Manu barged over the top of Tim Lafai to grab the opening four-pointer just six minutes in. With Mitchell missing, Cronk nailed his second ever NRL goal from the sideline for a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.
His side seemingly couldn't miss either, with Isaac Liu grabbing a rare try just three minutes later, breezing past Sailor and Corey Norman to ground a grubber from Luke Keary.
Cronk converted for a 12-0 lead after as many minutes. The onslaught continued when Tedesco sliced through on the eastern side of the park and handed Smith a memorable try on debut and take an 18-0 lead with Cronk's conversion.
Victor Radley got in on the act, carrying Paul Vaughan across the line as the scoreboard kept pace with the clock through the opening 24 minutes.
It was part of a lengthy highlight reel, but Cronk's pinpoint cross-field kick for Daniel Tupou's 30th minute try took the cake in a brilliant opening stanza from the visitor, who took a 28-0 lead to the break.
Widdop produced a 40-20 nine minutes into the second half, the first sign of life from the hosts, and Sailor fell just short of a try on debut three plays later when he was dragged down inches short of the line.
Cronk laid on another try for Tedesco in the next set as the lead ballooned to 34 before sailor finally opened his side's account in the 53rd minute. Luciano Leilua grabbed his side's second six minutes later but it was consolation and little more.
It was the Dragons final outing at Kogarah for the year and there may be some relief in that given the reception they received from their own fans on what was ironically Members Appreciation Day for the club.
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