What is your favourite-ever season for the Dragons and why?

[Lovemedragons]

It's funny three grand finals stick out in my mind ( I know cheating), 1985,1996, and 1977 Replay. In two of these games we had teams that were not as strong as some of the other teams, especially in 1996, but we played above our weight all year and got into the grand final. In 1996 we could have won with a bit of luck and without a try being awarded after Manly scored after their full back was tackled but was allowed to get up and just keep running while our guys were getting ready for the next ruck. Disgraceful.
In 1985 we made the grand final in all 3 grades but won the lower two but lost the firsts narrowly after a game dominated by bombs. Glenn Burgess as fullback was magnificent and courageous that day.
In the 1977 Replay I just loved that our team was made up of 13 young mongrels, especially Reddy, who bashed the Parramatta forwards, calling out 'Shulman' every time they wanted to lift. The player they smashed most of all was Ray Highes, who had kneed our little halfback in the first match and put him out of the second game. I was at both 1977 games and I saw us show more mongrel that day then I have ever seen from a Saints side. By the second half, a representative filled Parra forward pack were scared to run with the ball. Bath's Babes were Bath's Bashers that day. Wonderful.

great stuff O'Sullivan, got goose bumps from your post!

 

[2010]

1977 Grand Finals for me. I was there for both games and always remember Rockets mission to give Price some payback. Bath's babes, Bath on the sideline, Schulman coming out in his gear. Special times

 

[merahputih]

For me 1977 v Eels just pips 2010. The drama of a tied game after 20 minutes extra time and a replay the following Saturday ( won easily by the Dragons). The feeling of excitement in 2009 when Wayne Bennett arrived after the frustrating and wasted Nathan Brown years and a title the next year was also great, but the subsequent downer of the Price/Mary period was hard to bear. I hope the feeling of optimism this year lasts!

 

[slippery5]

Not the game, you beat us.

The rest is why my girl will marry a musician.

FTR the little Maltese wife shut them down.

Then was happy to see to lose the next week.

So long ago...

You couldn't step in for your wife ????

 

[Gareth67]

Each and every year we took the trophy back to the Taj Mahal , but there were just so many . Personally the 60's , they played against some truly magnificent teams with so many wonderful players .

A different time , era but they were just so special , the Saints of old , 10 foot tall wearing that big white jersey with the red vee and the Dragon emblem, it was worth a million quid to be able to watch those teams go around and continue to win year after year .

You felt that you were part of a huge family in those days , but they have now gone by . However the new breed of Dragon today , can still bring back yet another Trophy to the Taj Mahal and perhaps that may be the most special year of all .

 

[Mr Angry]

You couldn't step in for your wife ????

She begged me not to respond and show an example that violence is not an answer.

 

[Dragon Revival]

I have three favourites
being 1963 against Wests (who had beaten us twice earlier in the season) in the mud and rain which I was at, 1977 where Goodwin, Reddy and Stone shone against the tough Eels and Price and 2010 where we broke the drought against the Eastern Suburbs feather dusters with a tough Dragons pack and brilliant backline. Long live the Dragons!

 

[TruSaint]

1999.

I took my daughter to the semi-final.

On the train home, my wife was accosted, and my little girl who 8, was scared, by some scum bag Saints fans.

They have never and will never go again to a football game, my daughter now hates all sports.

Then you lost Melbourne.

Be Proud Saints, your fans like to scare females and kids on trains.

Sad to hear that happened, but please dont make this about Saints fans.

I dislike behaviour you mention as well, but be assured I / friends have copped a shit load at Shark Park / Caltex Field etc...

Happens everywhere mate.

No child should ever be subject to abuse.. Reality is, every team has its scumbag supporters. Try the old days at Belmore, or Parra... Same shit, different era.

 

[Gareth67]

1999.

I took my daughter to the semi-final.

On the train home, my wife was accosted, and my little girl who 8, was scared, by some scum bag Saints fans.

They have never and will never go again to a football game, my daughter now hates all sports.

Then you lost Melbourne.

Be Proud Saints, your fans like to scare females and kids on trains.

An occurrence that would most certainly put any person off from ever attending a rugby league match again . Sad to hear that the culprits masqueraded as fans of our great club , as they were nothing more then scum . Do wish that you can come to terms with what had occurred and do not picture all true Saints fans being of the same ilk , as we are most certainly not .

 

[Mattc]

We didn’t win in 1996, but boy was that a great ride. A bits and pieces team, but brilliantly coached.

 

[Saints of George]

I always felt 99 as being quite special.

I was 16 at the time and even though it was the end of St.George as we know them, I felt a real excitement that I was there to support St.George Illawarra from the start, just felt really special to me. Also that year we were the entertainers on the field all year and to make the Grand Final in our first year was also something special.

The ending sucked, but overall that year supporting Saints felt quite new and fresh and the unknown was very appealing.

 

[West coast dragon]

Mr Angry and his family had a frightening experience and unfortunately people of all persuasions sat back and let it happen.
However it doesn’t mean that all Saints supporters are morons and dick heads and hopefully he will come to realise that and not tar everyone with the same brush.
Now I can see some dick head posts where people take umbridge at him doing that and then immediately do the same thing by lumping him in with the race riot idiots.
Wake up to yourselves and at least show him whilst we don’t agree with his dislike
of us we at least comprehend the nightmare he and his family endured.

f**kn spare me!!

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I have three favourites
being 1963 against Wests (who had beaten us twice earlier in the season) in the mud and rain which I was at, 1977 where Goodwin, Reddy and Stone shone against the tough Eels and Price and 2010 where we broke the drought against the Eastern Suburbs feather dusters with a tough Dragons pack and brilliant backline. Long live the Dragons!

Here Here!

 

[hazzbeen]

2010. We won the comp.

Yep

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

2010 cause we finally, finally, finally, finally, finally won one after losing so many.
Shaking Wayne’s hand at Kogarah Oval at 11pm after all the players had left, and he stayed, that was special.

Shame it was all down hill again after that.....but we’ll always have 2010.

Great stuff mate. I was at the game but couldn't get back to Kogarah after..

I did however meet Wayne Bennett at an Australia Day breakfast event a few years later where he was a keynote speaker. In a room of 500 all I got sat right opposite him at the table. Reached over shook his hand and said something like "As a Dragons fan I cant thank you enough for delivering what I feared we may never see". Top guy and his speech was brilliant - really got a taste of why so many players say he's a coach you want to play for. And I made him laugh when he shook my hand to leave - well he gave me a smile and a muffled sound came out of his mouth.

Indeed mate we'll always have 2010.

 

[Saints of George]

Great stuff mate. I was at the game but couldn't get back to Kogarah after..

I did however meet Wayne Bennett at an Australia Day breakfast event a few years later where he was a keynote speaker. In a room of 500 all I got sat right opposite him at the table. Reached over shook his hand and said something like "As a Dragons fan I cant thank you enough for delivering what I feared we may never see". Top guy and his speech was brilliant - really got a taste of why so many players say he's a coach you want to play for. And I made him laugh when he shook my hand to leave - well he gave me a smile and a muffled sound came out of his mouth.

Indeed mate we'll always have 2010.

Awesome story mate.

At the Grand Final we were sitting by the try line and with 20mins to go me and my mates made our way down to the front and were taking our places by the billboard for the victory lap.

When they made their way around Wayne was amongst the boys and was shaking hands and high fiving everyone and being nice. I was one to get a hand shake and say a sincere thank you, but my mate (who's the biggest character you'll ever meet in your life) took things one step further. He grabs Wayne's hand and kisses it like it was the hand of God himself while telling him as much too and no joke Wayne cracked up laughing! We couldn't believe it! I just turned to my mate and said I don't know what the biggest achievement of the days was, winning the comp or getting a laugh out of Wayne.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Awesome story mate.

At the Grand Final we were sitting by the try line and with 20mins to go me and my mates made our way down to the front and were taking our places by the billboard for the victory lap.

When they made their way around Wayne was amongst the boys and was shaking hands and high fiving everyone and being nice. I was one to get a hand shake and say a sincere thank you, but my mate (who's the biggest character you'll ever meet in your life) took things one step further. He grabs Wayne's hand and kisses it like it was the hand of God himself while telling him as much too and no joke Wayne cracked up laughing! We couldn't believe it! I just turned to my mate and said I don't know what the biggest achievement of the days was, winning the comp or getting a laugh out of Wayne.

Haha brilliant! And i concur, I say that's one of my biggest life achievements also!

Great times @Saints of George . The emotion at the 2010GF when we knew we'd won (ie couldnt lose) was phenomenal.

 

[Saints of George]

Great times @Saints of George . The emotion at the 2010GF when we knew we'd won (ie couldnt lose) was phenomenal.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! Once Deano went over we claimed dour spot at the front with 20 to go. It was great fun!

Actually, that foresight to go down the front birthed a moment in my life that I am in some part a little bit ashamed of but mostly proud of and I still stand by my actions.

We got down there first and claimed our spots on the barriers and as the game went on more and more people started to clock on and come down and before we knew it the stands were packed with people trying to push their way to the front.

Next thing I knew this guy pushed his way through with his two kids, probably around the ages of 3-6 and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I could move and let him and his kids go in front of me?

Again, a little ashamed of my response, but also a little smugly proud I stand by it and would do it again. I looked at the kids and then at him and out came 'Sorry mate, no chance. I've been waiting or this a lot longer than they have.'

Not a proud moment but it was my first premiership.

If that man is reading this. Sorry not sorry lol

 

[ouryears]

Showing my age.

1971 is my favourite.
I was 13 yrs old and went to 14 matches that year.

Can you believe this?
The 1971 season saw a ban imposed by the NSWRL on TV coverage of games in the Sydney premiership.

It was believed that TV coverage was a contributing factor to falling attendances at games.

As a result, only the Grand Final was televised, and even then as a one-hour late night highlights package rather than live coverage. LOL.....

The ban was lifted for the 1972 season onwards, as in practice it was shown to have a negligible effect on match attendances.

We took an almost international South Sydney team to the brink of defeat in the GF. Souths had 12 internationals in their team

We were rank outsiders. No one gave us a chance.

Saints beat Parramatta in the first semi....then beat Minor Premiers Manly in the final to get to the big one.

In the big one, Souths led 1-0 at half time, then 11-0..... but with 12 mins to go we fought our way back to trail only 11-10.

Souths got home and scored with 2 mins to go after chances went begging for the Dragons.

I remember walking out feeling so proud but still gutted.

Grand Final Teams
Souths player named first below.
Eric Simms FB
Graeme Langlands (cptn)
Keith Edwards WG Ken Batty
Paul Sait CE Bob Clapham
Bob Honan Cent Ken Maddison
Ray Branighan WG Geoff Carr
Denis Pittard FE Tony Branson
Bob Grant HB Billy Smith

John Sattler (c) PR Harry Eden
George Piggins HK Colin Rasmussen
John O'Neill PR Grahame Bowen
Bob McCarthy SR Peter Fitzgerald
Gary Stevens SR Barry Beath
Ron Coote LK Ted Walton
Reserve Mick Dryden
Reserve Russell Cox

Clive Churchill Coaches
Jack Gibson

Against a battle-hardened Souths side with a larger pack, the young Dragons went into the Grand Final as clear underdogs. Only Smith, Madison and Langlands for St George had big match experience of the level enjoyed by the entire Souths pack - many of the Rabbitohs were playing in their fourth or fifth successive Grand Final.

FINALS SERIES.
Semi Finals
St. George 19 - 8 Parramatta Sydney Cricket Ground 47,982

Manly-Warringah 13 - 19 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Holman 50,261

Preliminary Final
Manly-Warringah 12 - 15 St. George 54,883

Grand Final
South Sydney 16 - 10 St. George

Stats by Wikipedia.

 

[Saintsified]

1996
Even though we lost the GF, because of what Waite did, the club was torn apart with half the squad signing for superleague and somehow brought back together I think 11 rounds in and limped into the grand final..... amazing.

Dragons 96 = QLD heroics of the past 11 or so years.

Ps did i say Tallis is a merkin? With him we would've won it.