The St George Illawarra Dragons, coming off an incredibly disappointing finish to 2021, will look to make up for it in 2022 with exciting youth and a slew of experienced signings.
Here is their full season preview.
2021 season
It's tough to spin the Dragons 2021 season as anything other than a let down. They finished 11th so they weren't in the bottom few, but they weren't much better either.
They struggled at both ends of the field, scoring only 19.5 points per game while conceding almost 26. That may not look bad when averaged but they conceded 616 points. That makes for terrible reading.
The Dragons won four of their five opening games, including wins over eventual top four finishers the Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles. They'd then only win four more games all season.
The Matt Dufty situation because comical for everyone other than the fans who were forced to endure such an embarrassing saga drag on. The big upside was the unearthing of Tyrell Sloan who looks a megastar in the making.
Off-Season Moves
2022 gains
George Burgess (Wigan Warriors, 2023), Jack Gosiewski (Manly Sea Eagles, 2022), Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers, 2023), Tautau Moga (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2022), Francis Molo (North Queensland Cowboys, 2024), Shalom Oofou (2022), Jonathon Reuben (2022), Jaydn Su'a (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2024), Moses Suli (Manly Sea Eagles, 2024), Aaron Woods (Cronulla Sharks, 2023)
2022 losses
Gerard Beale (released), Eddie Blacker (Penrith Panthers), Billy Brittain (released), Adam Clune (Newcastle Knights), Matthew Dufty (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Kaide Ellis (Wigan Warriors), Hayden Lomax (released), Cameron McInnes (Cronulla Sharks), Trent Merrin (retired), Corey Norman (Retired), Jordan Pereira (Brisbane Broncos), Shaun Sauni-Esau (released), Paul Vaughan (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Brayden Wiliame (rugby union)
Recruitment Impact
The Dragons have signed... Strangely.
George Burgess was forced into retirement due to injury whilst playing for Wigan. He still looks the part but there are huge questions as to his effectiveness in a sharper, much quicker ruck.
Aaron Woods has multiple Origins and Kangaroo jumpers to his name but became known for throwing his arms up as defenders ran past him in 2021. His ruck defence under the new rules became a running joke for Sharks fans.
How did the club allow their captain and back-to-back player of the year walk to their rivals?
Moses Mbye looks a clever signing but looks a big outlay for a utility. Moses Suli has had his issues but is a bona fide monster out wide and well worth the risk.
Jaydn Su'a arrives at the club as a run on player both in a grand final and representing Queensland in Origin. His signing shapes as an absolute steal.
Talking Points
Aging Forward Pack: I alluded to it in recruitment but I'm not 100 per cent sure where Woods and Burgess fit into a pack in 2022. Woods delivered some impressive numbers at the Sharks in 2021 but there are literal highlight reels to Benny Hill music about some of his misses.
Hopefully for those wearing the Red V, he has spent the off-season working on that. Burgess was a weapon at Souths but was forced to hang up his boots while playing for Wigan.
Half for Hunt: The Dragons made a tough, but ultimately correct decision in moving Corey Norman on. His time had come and gone. The big question now though is who partners Ben Hunt in the halves.
Jayden Sullivan or Talatau Amone? Hunt did his very best to carry the side in 2021 but can't be asked to do the same this year. Whichever way the Dragons brains trust go, they have to provide support for their number seven. Amone for mine.
- Hook In?: I literally can't remember the last time a Dragons coach had any kind of job security, at least in the public eye. Wayne Bennett, perhaps? Dragons powerbrokers and fans were split for the entirety of Paul McGregor's reign, and the same happened in year one under Anthony Griffin.
The Dragons have shown their faith and the fans probably need to accept and support. I imagine it would be enjoyable for Dragons fans to enjoy some certainty for once.
Watch Rugby League Outlaws discuss the Dragons in their season preview
Key Player
: Ben Hunt
Ben Hunt was nothing short of Goliath in 2021. He was massive and completely held a stuttering Dragons side together.
He was arguably the competition's form player across the opening three weeks of the competition. Unfortunately an injury would stunt him and derail the Dragons.
Hunt had possibly his second best season in the top grade, after the grand final season of course, and finally shut down doubts over his ablity.
As the senior halves partner, a leader and the clubs most marketable player, he is arguably the most important player in the competition in terms of his team's fortunes not nicknamed Turbo.
Big season for
: Jack Bird
At the Sharks, Jack Bird won a premiership and played Origin. He was a star centre who could play in the halves or defend in the middle. The sky was the limit.
Unfortunately his move to Brisbane did not work out but since his return to the Dragons (who he represented in the juniors) he has looked revitalised.
It looks as though Bird will start the season with the number 13 on his back. This is a move that has been floated previously but his 2021 season proved his body is up to it.
Given Bird's ball-playing ability, his inclusion in the middle should see him add a route of attack the Dragons lacked in 2022.
He will be a target early in the season for the bigger middles but if he can hold his own this could provide a big advantage for a side that struggled to score points last season.
Breakout star
: Tyrell Sloan
We've only had a small sample size but my word the results thus far have been impressive.
Six tries, two try assists and 13 tackle breaks in just five games of NRL football makes for exciting reading.
With a full NRL off-season under his belt and a brand new, upgraded contract to his name, Sloan has the number one jersey from Round 1.
He has all the talent to fill it for a long, long time. One of the game's real excitement machines. I just hope Dragons fans temper their expectations and remember he is still a rookie, albeit a ridiculously talented one.
Fixtures to watch
Round 3 vs Sharks: The local derby is always a brilliant occasion. Ladder position means very little heading into a clash between the two southern Sydney sides. Throw in the McInnes move and then you have a recipe for a spicy clash.
Both games in 2021 were won by the Sharks, who will enter this clash as favourites. There's nothing the Dragons hate more than being referred to as little brother by their rivals. They will want to win this one.
Round 7 vs Roosters: Arguably the marquee game outside of the finals and Origin is the Anzac Day fixture. Regardless of ladder position, form, result etc this is an occasion every player looks forward to. With Covid restrictions easing, there's every chance we'll once again have a sell-out crowd supporting both teams and the most important day on the calendar.
Round 12 vs Bulldogs: On paper this may seem like a random game but these are the games the Dragons need to win to contend for finals footy. The Dogs have improved dramatically and are expected to be challengers for a return to the top eight. If the Dragons are serious contenders, they'll need to do the job at Belmore in front of a hostile crowd. This will be fun to watch, and carries super importance for the Dragons finals hopes.
Prediction
I struggled with this final ranking. The Dragons are streets ahead of the two sides below them (the Cowboys and Tigers) but a fair way out of finals contention. I'd guess they'll somewhere in between.
Zac Lomax and Tyrell Sloan have plenty of points in them, but they're going to need to given the defensive make up of this side.
Bird at lock is a target, Woods and Burgess have to adapt to a faster game at advanced ages, while Josh McGuire spends more time suspended than he does on the park.
Ben Hunt needs help creating. Amore or Sullivan need to hit the ground running while the Dragons pack has to prove me, among many many doubters, wrong.
I just can't see them being able to score enough points, consistently (there will be days they rack up scores) to worry the better sides.
14th
