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 2026-11-07T09:05:00Z 
 2026-11-07T09:05:00Z 
McDonald Jones
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AUS v SAM
 2026-11-08T09:05:00Z 
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Allianz Stadium
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    Phil Gould calls out Dragons ‘sneaky’ tactic

    “They got away with a lot of that in Las Vegas, which was very frustrating.”

    Magdalena Murdoch
    By
    Magdalena Murdoch
    -
    WRITER | March 20, 2026 - 10:51am
    3,364

    The Dragons suffered a 46-20 defeat at home to the Melbourne Storm, including five tries in just 18 minutes.

    According to Phil Gould, the Dragons' size may increasingly be a liability in an ever-faster game. 

    He suggests this vulnerability is shaping some unfavourable tactics, as seen during the first two rounds.

     “The Dragons impacted the flow of the game for more than half the match,” he said.

    Speaking during Six Tackles with Gus, Gould elaborated on the Dragons' approach and how “time-wasting” tactics allowed their bigger bodies to recover.

    "In Las Vegas, when the Bulldogs played (the Dragons), there were times where the Dragons did fatigue in defence, and they are vulnerable," Gould said.

    "Bulldogs just couldn't take advantage of it. And the Dragons were wasting a lot of time and taking time off the clock in that game, because they knew that physically they do get tired, their big fellows do get a little bit vulnerable in defence.

    "Part of their tactic is to waste time and take time off the clock and scrimmage, muck around in tackles, and stop the game for different things, flare-ups and all that sort of thing.

    "It's to keep breaking the game up and keep getting spells in what they're doing. They got away with a lot of that in Las Vegas, which was very frustrating, but the Bulldogs just couldn't take advantage of what they saw."

    Gould also singled out Fa'alogo for his second-half heroics. 

    "He (Sualauvi Fa'alogo) got conditions to suit in the second half. And he can cut you shreds.

    "He's got that ability, and when the Dragons get their defence in that mindset, a person like him could really hurt them, and it played out perfectly for him," he said.

    "He got it exactly the way he wanted it. Remember, too, St. George did lead 20 to 18 at various points of that game.

    "And the Storm, I don't think they ever really got over the top of them. They got possession at the right time, and this young fullback was the one who changed the game."

    Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see whether the Dragons employ similar tactics against the Parramatta Eels on Sunday.

    Equally intriguing will be whether Eels star Isaiah Iongi can replicate Fa'alogo's approach and capitalise on fatigue in the middle of the field to break the game open.

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    Magdalena Murdoch
    Magdalena Murdoch
    Magdalena Murdoch is a NRL reporter who graduated with a Journalism degree in 2025. She has been part of the Zero Tackle team since the beginning of the 2026 NRL season, covering breaking news, analysis and stories from across the game.
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