With the curtain closing on the 2019 regular season and the top eight finally taking shape, we thought we would take a look at the top five disappointments of the 2019 season.
With the NRL now beginning to resemble a pinata more than a national sporting organisation following consistent scathing reviews of the current administration, the following organisations and individuals have been listed following their sub-par 2019 performance in conjunction with the reputation they garnered in previous seasons.
2. St George Illawarra Dragons
Followed a mixed 2018 In which the Dragons dominated the competition over the first half of the season prior to having their annual post Origin fade out before eventually being knocked out of the finals in the second round, there were high hopes amongst the red V faithful following the off-season capture of Corey Norman to bolster their already star-studded side.
Having only lost Leeson Ah Mau and Nene MacDonald from the previous year and replacing them with the consistent Korbin Sims and promising Zac Lomax, on paper the Dragons had a side that could once again do some serious damage.
However, Jack De Belin's mid-December charging for alleged aggravated sexual assault would prove to be foreshadowing for the rest of St George Illawarra’s season.
Since that fateful night in Wollongong, everything has fallen apart for the Dragons. With the De Belin issue constantly in the press, the Dragons have looked to be a team with anything but football on their mind for the entirety of the season, which hasn't been aided by losing key players Gareth Widdop, James Graham, Korbin Sims, Tariq Sims and Corey Norman for extended periods throughout the season.
Currently sitting 14th and with potentially the most demanding fan base in the competition calling for his head for his head once more, Paul McGregor's underwhelming coaching record may soon come back to bite him.
Biggest disappointment is allowing Edwardwoodwood1 and his 5 aliases posting false statistics to elevate the otherwise member depleting, no junior roosters.
Don’t see the Dragons as a disappointment , i never had them near the 8 anyway.
Giving the roosters regular 2pm Sunday home games which is the prime slot for fans to attend which explains the reason the roosters are getting some attendances despite the majority crowd is opposition fans as pointed out by the commentators.
Must also be disappointing for the roosters club that the members bar has to be closed at home games this year because of no members showing up.