 |
|
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Full name | St George Illawarra Dragons Rugby League Club |
| Entry Details | |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Current Details | |
| Ground(s) | Oki Jubilee Stadium(not used in 2008) WIN Stadium ANZ Stadium (20,541 20,000 83,000) |
| CEO(s) |  Peter Doust |
| Coach | Nathan Brown |
| Competition | National Rugby League Toyota Cup (2008) |
| 2007 | National Rugby League, 13th |
The St. George Illawarra Dragons are an Australian professional rugby league football team. Their top team compete in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. They are the only team in the history of the NRL that has ever regularly played their home matches in two cities(Sydney and Wollongong) The St. George Illawarra Dragons entered the NRL competition in 1999 as a joint venture between the St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers. Officially they formed as the game’s first joint venture on September 23, 1998. In their first year as a joint venture the new Dragons came within minutes of winning the 1999 Grand Final, but were beaten by the Melbourne Storm in only their second season of the NRL competition. Since the relative success of 1999, the Dragons' performance has been fairly inconsistent, despite a talented playing roster. Factors include off-field distractions and recurring injuries to star players.
Contents |
Club history
In the wake of the Super League war of 1995 and 1996, and the resulting split competition of 1997, the St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers found themselves struggling financially, so with the NRL's intention to rationalise the competition from 20 teams down to 14 teams and with substantial financial incentives and a relaxing of salary cap requirements for joint ventures, the Dragons and the Steelers ensured their survival by forming the League's first joint venture on September 23, 1998. Joint ventures being a new concept in Australian rugby league, the public watched closely in anticipation of success or failure. No-one was certain how the top players sourced from the joint venture's two feeder clubs would perform when they ran out onto the field. They were unsuccessful in their first outing, losing to the Parramatta Eels 20-10, but by the 4th round they had started to form some cohesion and would go on to achieve a top 8 position on the competition ladder by the end of the regular season. In the semi-finals the Dragons won against the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park, before returning to Sydney to dispose of the Roosters and Cronulla to reach the Grand Final. In the Grand Final the Dragons were leading by 14-0 at the break. A fairytale of a maiden title in their first year seemed destined to come true; something of an advertisement to any other clubs considering the option of a joint venture, but the Storm recovered from their poor start and went into the final minutes of the game with the Dragons leading by 18-14. The Dragons were forced to perform a drop kick from their own goal line, and on the fifth tackle Brett Kimmorley kicked high towards the Dragon's corner of the field. As the Storm's winger Craig Smith caught the ball over the try-line he was knocked unconscious in a tackle by Jamie Ainscough and lost the ball. Referee Bill Harrigan deferred to the video referee who ruled a penalty try on the grounds that contact had been made with the head, giving Melbourne a 20-18 lead and the premiership title.
2005 season
After their worst start to a season yet (losing 5 of their first 6 games) the St. George Illawarra side finished second in a close season on the ladder at completion of the 2005 season, just behind minor premiers the Parramatta Eels on points difference. After progressing to the finals they defeated local rivals the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 28-22 in the quarter final of the finals series though the Dragons eventually fell 12-20 to eventual champions the Wests Tigers in the Preliminary Final. The Dragons broke the ground record at WIN Stadium twice in the 2005 season. First against rivals the Sydney Roosters and then at their home quarter final game against the Cronulla Sharks.
2006 season
After a shaky start, the Dragons put on a mid season 7 game winning streak. This was followed by an unfortunate form slump, with a record five consecutive losses, only to return to form with a victory over the Tigers, and continue this positive form leading into the finals. The Dragons ended the regular season in sixth position. In the first week of the finals, the Dragons beat the Broncos 20-4 at Suncorp Stadium, and in the second week of the finals, the Dragons defeated the Manly Sea Eagles 28 - 0 at Aussie Stadium. The team then suffered a devastating blow to their finals campaign, losing 24-10 to the Melbourne Storm the following week in the grand final qualifier at Telstra Stadium.
2007 season
A major injury to star player Mark Gasnier in the Charity Shield match against South Sydney Rabbitohs provided, once again, a shakey start to the 2007 season. Combined with the loss of key players such as Luke Bailey, Trent Barrett and Shaun Timmins in the off-season, the Dragons faced NRL newcomers, the Gold Coast Titans, in Round 1. The Dragons won the historic match 20-18, however lost 6 more matches after that leaving the Dragons sitting in 15th place on the NRL Ladder. In Round 8, the Dragons pulled of an impressive victory against the Penrith Panthers with a score of 28-16. The Dragons also pulled off a great win at Oki Jubilee Stadium against the Brisbane Broncos 11-4. This team was the most inexperienced that the Dragons have ever sent out onto a field. By round 15, however, the Dragons had lost 3 games in a row, anchoring them to the bottom of the ladder, and making them firm favourites to take out the wooden spoon for the first time in the club's history. In Round 17, (St. George Illawarra vs. Canberra Raiders at WIN Stadium), the Dragons scored four times more points than their previous game average, leading 22-10 at halftime before Josh Morris’ 80-metre breakaway try in the 49th minute put the issue beyond doubt. The Dragons equalled their highest ever score and it was their largest victory in three years. They also made a season-high 31 offloads. Canberra, who’d won the past six games between the sides, missed 65 tackles and didn’t have one player who made 100 metres in the game – a first this year. The Dragons climbed to 13th on the NRL ladder, overtaking the 14th-placed Raiders. Round 18 was a disappointment, losing 44-16 against the New Zealand Warriors at Mt. Smart Stadium in Auckland. In round 19 star player Mark Gasnier returned from what was thought to be a season ending injury. He started the match at five-eighth as the team faced the Penrith Panthers. The Dragons season ended with a 28-24 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval on Sunday, September 2nd. They ended on 13th place with 20 competition points.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Melbourne |
24 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 627 | 277 | +350 | 44 |
| 2 |  Manly-Warringah |
24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 597 | 377 | +220 | 38 |
| 3 |  North Queensland |
24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 547 | 618 | -71 | 32 |
| 4 |  Warriors |
24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 593 | 434 | +159 | 29 |
| 5 |  Parramatta |
24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 573 | 481 | +92 | 28 |
| 6 |  Bulldogs |
24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 575 | 528 | +47 | 26 |
| 7 |  South Sydney |
24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 408 | 399 | +9 | 26 |
| 8 |  Brisbane |
24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 511 | 476 | +35 | 24 |
| 9 |  Wests Tigers |
24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 541 | 561 | -20 | 24 |
| 10 |  Sydney |
24 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 445 | 610 | -165 | 23 |
| 11 |  Cronulla-Sutherland |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 463 | 403 | +60 | 22 |
| 12 |  Gold Coast |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 409 | 559 | -150 | 22 |
| 13 |  St George Illawarra |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 431 | 509 | -78 | 20 |
| 14 |  Canberra |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 522 | 650 | -128 | 20 |
| 15 |  Newcastle |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 418 | 708 | -290 | 20 |
| 16 |  Penrith |
24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 539 | 607 | -68 | 18 |
Jerseys
Home Jersey - White with the famous Red "V" Alternate Jersey - Red with three white stripes along the sleeves, synonymous with Adidas designed clothing.
Supporters
Supporters of the Dragons mainly come from the club's local areas, the suburbs of the St.George district in Sydney (the Hurstville, Rockdale, and Kogarah Council regions), and the Illawarra on the south-coast of NSW. The St George Illawarra Dragons also have a huge following in south-east Queensland, as 17,000 of the club's 'Red V' memberships are from people in this area. The Dragons also have supporters from all over NSW, with the club receiving record crowds at away games at Telstra Stadium in Homebush. It is also understood that the club receives support from NRL fans in other states as well, mostly due to the Dragons notable success ever since their debut in the competition.
Sponsorships
The Dragons are currently sponsored by: St George Bank (major sponsor), IGT (shorts sponsor), and Southern Cross Constructions (sleeve sponsor) All official NRL St George Illawarra Dragons clothing merchandise is made by Adidas.
Signed Players
St George Illawarra Dragons has 33 signed players in first grade.
|
Jardine Bobongie
Joe Falemaka
Frank Samia
Notable past players
- Luke Bailey (2000-2006)
- Shaun Timmins (1994-2006)
- Trent Barrett (1999-2006)
- Craig Fitzgibbon (1999)
- Nathan Brown (1999-2000)
- Anthony Mundine (1999-2000)
- Jamie Ainscough (1999-2001)
- Wayne Bartrim (1999-2001)
- Nathan Blacklock (1999-2004)
- Michael Ennis (2005)
- Aaron Gorrell (2002-2006)
- Lance Thompson (1995-2005)
- Brent Kite (2002-2004)
- Brad Mackay (1999)
- Paul McGregor (1999 and 2001)
- Rod Wishart (1999)
See also: All Time Player List
Internationals
- Jamie Ainscough
- Luke Bailey
- Trent Barrett
- Wayne Bartrim
- Nathan Blacklock
- Matt Cooper
- Ben Creagh
- Mark Gasnier
- Ben Hornby
- Jason Ryles
- Chase Stanley
- Shaun Timmins
- Rod Wishart
Coaches
- David Waite 1999-2000
- Andrew Farrar 1999-2002
- Nathan Brown 2003-current
Dragons Club Records
 |
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into St George Illawarra Dragons Records. () |
Most First Grade Games for the Club
- 134 - Trent Barrett
- 132 - Lance Thompson
- 114 - Nathan Blacklock
- 113 - Shaun Timmins
- 107 - Ben Hornby
- 100 - Luke Bailey
- 99 - Matt Cooper
- 98 - Jason Ryles
- 94 - Mark Gasnier
- 92 - Mark Riddell
Most Points for the Club
- 517 - Mark Riddell in 92 games (30 tries, 198 goals, 1 Fg)
- 428 - Nathan Blacklock in 114 games (100 tries, 14 goals)
- 374 - Wayne Bartrim in 72 games (8 tries, 171 goals)
- 234 - Mark Gasnier in 94 games (55 tries, 7 goals)
- 208 - Matt Cooper in 99 games (52 tries)
Most Tries for the Club
- 100 - Nathan Blacklock - 114 Games
- 55 - Mark Gasnier - 94 Games
- 52 - Matt Cooper - 99 Games
- 42 - Trent Barrett - 134 Games
- 32 - Lee Hookey - 61 Games
Most Points in a Season
- 166 - Mark Riddell in 24 games, 2003 (7 tries, 69 goals)
- 162 - Wayne Bartrim in 25 games, 1999 (5 tries, 79 goals)
- 129 - Mark Riddell in 18 games, 2002 (10 tries, 44 goals, 1 Fg)
Most Tries in a Season
- 27 - Nathan Blacklock in 28 games, 2001
- 25 - Nathan Blacklock in 26 games, 2000
- 24 - Nathan Blacklock in 26 games, 1999
Most Points in a Match
- 22 - Jamie Soward (1 try, 9 goals)
- 18 - Mark Riddell (2 tries, 5 goals)
- 17 - Mark Riddell (2 tries, 4 goals, 1 Fg)
- 16 - Mark Gasnier (4 tries)
- 16 - Matt Cooper (4 tries)
- 16 - Wayne Bartrim (2 tries, 4 goals)
- 16 - Mark Riddell (2 tries, 4 goals)
Biggest Winning Margins
- 54 - 54-0 vs. Warriors at Win Stadium (Rd 14, 2000)
- 50 - 50-0 vs. Wests Tigers at Oki Jubilee Stadium (Rd 15, 2004)
- 46 - 50-4 vs. Melbourne at Win Stadium (Rd 18, 2000)
- 46 - 48-2 vs. Newcastle at Win Stadium (Rd 4, 2004)
- 42 - 58-16 vs. Canberra at WIN Stadium (Rd 17, 2007)
- 42 - 58-16 vs. South Sydney at Win Stadium (Rd 23 2002)
- 42 - 44-2 vs. Canberra at Oki Jubilee (Rd 7, 1999)
Biggest Losing Margins
- 60 - 10-70 vs. Melbourne at MCG (Rd 5, 2000)
- 48 - 6-54 vs. Newcastle at WIN Stadium (Rd 5, 2006)
- 46 - 4-50 vs. North Queensland at Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 13, 2000)
- 36 - 4-40 vs. Cronulla at Toyota Park (Rd 4, 2007)
- 34 - 12-46 vs. Melbourne at Win Stadium (Rd 2, 2005)
- 34 - 8-42 vs. Newcastle at Oki Jubilee Stadium (Rd 25, 2003)
- 30 - 14-44 vs. Brisbane at Win Stadium (Rd 24, 2000)
- 30 - 12-42 vs. Penrith at Penrith Football Stadium (Rd 23, 2000)
Most Consecutive Wins
- 8 - (July 17 - September 10, 2005)
Most Consecutive Loses
- 5 - (September 5, 2004 - April 2, 2005)
- 5 - (July 14 - August 13, 2006)
- 5 - (March 23 - April 30, 2007)
Biggest Comeback Recovered from a 24-point margin.
- Trailed Manly 34-10 after 57 minutes to win 36-34 at Oki Jubilee Stadium (August 19, 2004).
Worst Collapse Surrendered a 14-point lead (three times).
- Led Melbourne 14-0 at halftime to lose 20-18 at Stadium Australia (1999 Grand Final)
- Led Sydney 14-0 after 53 minutes to lose 18-14 at Aussie Stadium (July 16, 2004)
- Led Canterbury 14-0 after 36 minutes to lose 28-24 at WIN Stadium (July 28, 2007)
- From the end of 2005
Dally Award Winners
- Trent Barrett
-Dally M Medal Winner 2000 -Five-Eighth of the Year 2000
- Shaun Timmins
-Lock of the Year 2004
- Mark Gasnier
-Centre of the Year 2005 -Centre of the Year 2006
- Luke Bailey
-Prop of the Year 2005
- Nathan Blacklock
-Top Try Scorer 2000 -Winger of the Year 2000
Home grounds
- WIN Stadium (1999 - current)
- Telstra Stadium (2008)
- OKI Jubilee Stadium (1999, 2003 - 2007)
- Aussie Stadium (2000 - 2002)
Highest Attendances at Oki Jubilee Stadium
- 18,223 - Dragons v Bulldogs (14/7/2006)
- 17,523 - Dragons v Eels (21/8/2005)
- 17,113 - Dragons v Sharks (24/7/2005)
- 16,915 - Dragons v Wests Tigers (20/6/2004)
- 16,713 - Dragons v Sharks (4/5/2003)
Highest Attendances at WIN Stadium
- 19,608 - Dragons v Sharks (10/9/2005)
- 19,512 - Dragons v Roosters (29/7/2005)
- 19,501 - Dragons v Bulldogs (28/7/2007)
- 18,932 - Dragons v Panthers (18/4/2004)
- 18,382 - Dragons v Rabbitohs (11/8/2007)
Premierships
St George Illawarra Dragons
- First Grade Premierships: 0
- Runners Up: 1 (1999)
- Minor Premiers: 0
- Premier League Premierships: 1 (2001)
- Premier League Runner up: 2 (2002, 2004)
- Jersey Flegg Premierships: 1 (2005)
- Jersey Flegg Runner Up: 1 (2002)
St George Dragons
- First Grade Premierships: 15 (1941, 1949, 1956 - 1966, 1977, 1979)
- Runners up: 12 (1927, 1930, 1933, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1971, 1974, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996)
- Minor Premiers: 15 (1928, 1946, 1956 - 1960, 1962 - 1967, 1979, 1985)
Illawarra Steelers
- First Grade Premierships : 0
- Runners up: 0
- Minor Premiers: 0
Leagues clubs
As well as having two administrative offices, St George Illawarra are supported by two separate Leagues clubs - one in each of the St George and Illawarra areas. St George Leagues Club The St George Leagues Club is located on Princes Highway at Beverley Park close to the northern home ground of OKI Jubilee Stadium at Carlton. It was established in 1963, St George was one of the first Super Leagues clubs developed in the 60's and was commonly referred to the Taj Mahal because of the use of white marbel in the original building. Very little of the original building is still there today after extensively refurbishing and redesigning the entire club to make it one of the most superbly fitting clubs in Australia. Steelers Club Situated in the heart of the vibrant City Beach precinct, the Steelers Club is ideally located adjacent to WIN Entertainment Centre and WIN Stadium. It is directly across the road from the grounds Western Grandstand. The Steelers Club is at the centre of Wollongong’s sporting and entertainment hub. Facilities include TAB, Keno, Foxsports and our famous Sidelines Café.
See also
External links
- Official site
- NRL Official site
- NRL Dragons Feature
- Dragons History- History of Mighty Dragons
- DragonArmy.com.au - Home of the Mighty Dragon Army (Dragons supporter group)
- Daily Telegraph - St George Illawarra Dragons 2007 season feature
References
|
|
|
|---|---|
|
|
National Teams: Australian Kangaroos · Australian Schoolboys • Prime Minister's XIII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Country Rugby League |
Group Competitions: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 20 · 21 |
|
|
Divisions: Central · Northern · South East Queensland · South West · Wide Bay |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Aussie Rules (AFL) | Sydney Swans |
| Basketball (NBL) | Sydney Kings · West Sydney Razorbacks |
| Cricket | New South Wales Blues |
| Football (soccer) (A-League) | Sydney FC |
| Rugby League (NRL) | Bulldogs · Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks · Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles · Parramatta Eels · Penrith Panthers · St George Illawarra Dragons · South Sydney Rabbitohs · Sydney Roosters · Wests Tigers |
| Rugby Union (Super 14) | New South Wales Waratahs |
|
