St. George Illawarra Dragons 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 St. George Illawarra Dragons season was the 10th in the joint venture club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2008 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 7th (out of 16), being knocked out in the finals by eventual premiers, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
.
current coach Wayne Bennett for the 2009 season up until 2011. The Dragons started the 2008 season by winning the Mercury Challenge match against the Bulldogs 40-30 at WIN Stadium
in Wollongong and winning their first Toyota Cup trial match against Bulldogs at 30-22. The following week the Dragons went down to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in the annual Charity Shield clash 24-20 at ANZ Stadium.
The club received a boost in May when former Union
and League (Brisbane Broncos) star Wendell Sailor
joined the team after a 2-year ban from professional sport in Australia due to his cocaine controversy. The Dragons started another year with disappointing results when they only won three times after 10 rounds, defeating the Gold Coast Titans
in Round 2, the Sydney Roosters
in Round 7 and the Melbourne Storm
in Round 10 all with terrific results. On 23 May, the Dragons recorded their first back-to-back wins of the season when they defeated the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
at Brookvale Oval
with a final score of 20-18.
The Dragons new winger Wendell Sailor
made his NRL return in this match also sustaining a minor cheekbone injury. The club also signed South Sydney Rabbitohs
player Ben Rogers from an immediate release to join the Dragons on 12 June but released Jason Ryles
from his contract to join the Catalans Dragons
in the English Super League for 2009. Days later they signed New Zealand international and Melbourne Storm
player Jeremy Smith
for 3 seasons.
Their 7-game winning streak came to an end in Round 18 when they were defeated by the Canberra Raiders
19-12 at WIN Stadium
for the Illawarra Heritage Match. On 15 July, it was announced that captain Mark Gasnier
would not be returning after the end of the 2008 season to join the Stade Français Rugby Union
team in France. The deal is worth around $1 million a year.
After 1 win in their last 5 games, the Dragons defeated the Brisbane Broncos
at Suncorp Stadium
with a 24-20 win. Then in Round 24, they defeated the New Zealand Warriors
34-6 at WIN Stadium
, Wollongong to keep their finals hopes alive. The dragons were favoured to defeat the Roosters in round 26 to either finish fourth or fifth. They had been playing widespread open football and Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper were carving up the opposition. In extremely wet conditions, the Roosters pack were more favoured to the conditions. They finished the regular season 7th place on the ladder which could have been 6th if they scored at least 2 points in their Round 26 match with the Sydney Roosters
. They made it to the first week of the finals, but lost to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
34-6 at Brookvale Oval
being eliminated from the Finals Series due to their lowly position in the Top 8.
The club went on a 'signing spree' purchasing Neville Costigan, Darius Boyd and Luke Priddis to name a few, but lost flyer Josh Morris (Bulldogs), Mark Gasnier (French Rugby), Jason Ryles (French league), Rangi Chase (ESL), Lagi Setu (Broncos) and Simon Woolford & Kirk Reynoldson with retirement.
Losses
:
Saturday, 13 September 2008 at 8:30pm AEST at Brookvale Oval
, Sydney
.
in Wollongong. They started the regular season disappointing with a 34-22 loss to the Wests Tigers
. However, the Dragons have not lost another match after that with 1 bye in their past leaving them on top of the Toyota Cup table, on 22 competition points. Their 10-match winning streak came to an end in Round 13 at WIN Stadium
when they drew 22 all with the Brisbane Broncos
. While the First Grade side continued their winning streak, the Under 20s were looking to start a losing streak as they were defeated back-to-back for the first time this year by the Penrith Panthers
28-26 in Round 15 at ANZ Stadium and 32-16 by the Gold Coast Titans
at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast. They returned to the winners circle in Round 17 defeating the Newcastle Knights
26-18 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
. In Round 18, straight after a fresh win, they once again lost a match this time against the Canberra Raiders
38-28 at WIN Stadium
. They then had back and forth wins during the regular season keeping them in the top 8, struggling to keep their spot(s).
Lineup for the Preliminary Finals vs. Canberra Raiders
:
Friday, 26 September 2008 at 5:30 pm AEST at the Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
.
NRL Telstra Premiership
Having failed to bring the club a premiership during his current tenure with the Dragons and coming off contract at the end of the year, Coach Nathan Brown has had heat on him from 2007 to bring the Dragons up and away from the bottom of the ladder. Since the start of the 2008 season, the Dragons have had, once again, loss after loss which has caused Peter Doust (Dragons CEO), to bring in a new coach in the case of Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
current coach Wayne Bennett for the 2009 season up until 2011. The Dragons started the 2008 season by winning the Mercury Challenge match against the Bulldogs 40-30 at WIN Stadium
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
in Wollongong and winning their first Toyota Cup trial match against Bulldogs at 30-22. The following week the Dragons went down to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in the annual Charity Shield clash 24-20 at ANZ Stadium.
The club received a boost in May when former Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and League (Brisbane Broncos) star Wendell Sailor
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby...
joined the team after a 2-year ban from professional sport in Australia due to his cocaine controversy. The Dragons started another year with disappointing results when they only won three times after 10 rounds, defeating the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
in Round 2, the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in Round 7 and the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
in Round 10 all with terrific results. On 23 May, the Dragons recorded their first back-to-back wins of the season when they defeated the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
with a final score of 20-18.
The Dragons new winger Wendell Sailor
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby...
made his NRL return in this match also sustaining a minor cheekbone injury. The club also signed South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
player Ben Rogers from an immediate release to join the Dragons on 12 June but released Jason Ryles
Jason Ryles
Jason Ryles is an Australian rugby league player. He has played in the National Rugby League for the Sydney Roosters and the St. George Illawarra Dragons and in Europe's Super League for the Catalans Dragons. He is contracted to play for the Melbourne Storm from 2012...
from his contract to join the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
in the English Super League for 2009. Days later they signed New Zealand international and Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
player Jeremy Smith
Jeremy Smith (rugby league 2)
Jeremy Jon Oscar Smith is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League...
for 3 seasons.
Their 7-game winning streak came to an end in Round 18 when they were defeated by the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
19-12 at WIN Stadium
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
for the Illawarra Heritage Match. On 15 July, it was announced that captain Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a...
would not be returning after the end of the 2008 season to join the Stade Français Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team in France. The deal is worth around $1 million a year.
After 1 win in their last 5 games, the Dragons defeated the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
with a 24-20 win. Then in Round 24, they defeated the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
34-6 at WIN Stadium
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
, Wollongong to keep their finals hopes alive. The dragons were favoured to defeat the Roosters in round 26 to either finish fourth or fifth. They had been playing widespread open football and Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper were carving up the opposition. In extremely wet conditions, the Roosters pack were more favoured to the conditions. They finished the regular season 7th place on the ladder which could have been 6th if they scored at least 2 points in their Round 26 match with the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
. They made it to the first week of the finals, but lost to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
34-6 at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
being eliminated from the Finals Series due to their lowly position in the Top 8.
The club went on a 'signing spree' purchasing Neville Costigan, Darius Boyd and Luke Priddis to name a few, but lost flyer Josh Morris (Bulldogs), Mark Gasnier (French Rugby), Jason Ryles (French league), Rangi Chase (ESL), Lagi Setu (Broncos) and Simon Woolford & Kirk Reynoldson with retirement.
| Position | Pld | Won | Drew | Lost | Bye | Points For | Points Against | Points Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th (of 16) | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 489 | 378 | 111 |
2008 Match Results
*From Round 5 onwards, all games are in AEST.| Round | Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and Time | Venue | ||||||||
| Trial |  St. George Illawarra Dragons |
40-30 |  Bulldogs |
23 February 2008, 7:30pm AEDT | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| CS Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia) Regarded as the unofficial start to the National Rugby League season, the Charity Shield has been in operation since 1982 .... |
St. George Illawarra Dragons |
20-24 |  South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
1 March 2008, 8:00pm AEDT | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 1 |  Wests TigersWests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
24-16 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
16 March 2008, 3:00pm AEDT | Sydney Football Stadium | ||||
| 2 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
30-12 |  Gold Coast TitansGold Coast Titans Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its... |
24 March 2008, 7:00pm AEDT | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 3 |  Canberra RaidersCanberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982... |
21-14 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
29 March 2008, 7:30pm AEDT | Canberra Stadium Canberra Stadium Canberra Stadium is a facility primarily used for rugby league and rugby union games, located adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the capital of Australia... |
||||
| 4 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
16-18 |  Cronulla SharksCronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
5 April 2008, 5:30pm AEDT | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 5 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
16-20 |  North Queensland CowboysNorth Queensland Cowboys The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
12 April 2008, 5:30pm | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 6 | Bulldogs |
30-18 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
19 April 2008, 5:30pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 7 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
26-6 |  Sydney RoostersSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
25 April 2008, 3:15pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 8 | BYE | ||||||||
| 9 |  Parramatta EelsParramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
19-18 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
11 May 2008, 3:00pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 10 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
36-12 |  Melbourne StormMelbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... |
17 May 2008, 7:30pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 11 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
18-20 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
23 May 2008, 7:45pm | Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team... |
||||
| 12 | South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
12-26 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
1 June 2008, 2:00pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 13 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
28-10 |  Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
6 June 2008, 7:45pm | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 14 | BYE | ||||||||
| 15 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
13-12 |  Penrith PanthersPenrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... |
20 June 2008, 7:45pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 16 | Gold Coast Titans Gold Coast Titans Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its... |
22-26 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
28 June 2008, 5:30pm | Skilled Park | ||||
| 17 |  Newcastle KnightsNewcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
16-24 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
5 July 2008, 7:30pm | EnergyAustralia Stadium EnergyAustralia Stadium Newcastle International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home ground of the Newcastle Knights and the Newcastle United Jets teams. It is owned by the New South Wales government and administered by the Hunter Region... |
||||
| 18 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
12-19 | Canberra Raiders Canberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982... |
13 July 2008, 2:00pm | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 19 | Melbourne Storm Melbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... |
26-0 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
21 July 2008, 7:00pm | Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
||||
| 20 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
30-0 | Bulldogs |
28 July 2008, 7:00pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 21 | Cronulla Sharks Cronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
13-12 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
2 August 2008, 5:30pm | Toyota Park Toyota Park (Cronulla) Endeavour Field, currently known as Toyota Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a rugby league stadium in the suburb of Woolooware, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home ground for the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team, which represents the Cronulla and Sutherland Shire area... |
||||
| 22 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
10-18 | Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
8 August 2008, 7:35pm | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 23 | Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
20-24 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
15 August 2008, 7:35pm | Suncorp Stadium Suncorp Stadium Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium... |
||||
| 24 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
34-6 |  New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand Warriors The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia... |
24 August 2008, 3:00pm | WIN Stadium WIN Stadium Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team... |
||||
| 25 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
40-14 | Parramatta Eels Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
30 September 2008, 7:30pm | ANZ Stadium | ||||
| 26 | Sydney Roosters Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
10-0 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
5 September 2008, 7:35pm | Sydney Football Stadium | ||||
| QF | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
38-6 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
13 September 2008, 8:30pm | Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team... |
||||
Gains and Losses
Gains| Player | Previous Club |
|---|---|
| Kirk Reynoldson Kirk Reynoldson Kirk Reynoldson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights and the Melbourne Storm. Reynoldson primarily plays in the second row.Midway though 2004 he agreed to a deal with... |
Newcastle Knights Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
| Stuart Webb Stuart Webb Stuart Webb is a former professional rugby league player for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the Australian National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. His position of choice is at hooker... |
South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
| Ben Rogers (mid-season) | South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
| Jon Green Jon Green Jon Green is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League. He has also previously played for the Bulldogs.... |
Bulldogs |
| Jarrod Saffy Jarrod Saffy Jarrod Saffy is an Australian professional rugby union player. He played league for St George Illawarra Dragons , before switching to rugby to the train with the Melbourne Rebels in preparation for the 2011 Super Rugby season.-Early career:Saffy moved to Australia as a 15-year-old and continued... |
Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
| Jardine Bobongie | North Sydney Bears North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
| Joe Falemaka Vaea Falemaka Joseph Vaea Tangitau Falemaka is a Tongan rugby league player. His position of choice is at prop forward.Falemaka has appeared on several occasions for the Tonga national rugby league team with his most recent international games coming during the 2006 Federation Shield competition.-External links:*... |
North Sydney Bears North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
Losses
| Player | Joined Club |
|---|---|
| Wes Naiqama Wes Naiqama Wes Naiqama is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League competition. Also the incumbent Fiji national team captain, his usual position is in the centres... |
Newcastle Knights Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
| Danny Wicks Danny Wicks Danny Wicks is a former professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League competition. Wicks also previously played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons... |
Newcastle Knights Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
| Chris Houston Chris Houston (rugby league) Chris Houston is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the NRL. His usual positions are at lock and in both the second-row and front-row. He previously played for the St... |
Newcastle Knights Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
| Keith Lulia Keith Lulia Keith Lulia is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League. He previously played for the St... |
Newcastle Knights Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
| Ashton Sims Ashton Sims Ashton Sims is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the National Rugby League . A Fiji international representative forward, he previously played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Brisbane Broncos... |
Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
| Tom Hewitt Tom Hewitt (rugby league) Tom Hewitt is an Australian rugby league player in the NRL competition, who plays for the Brisbane Broncos. He made his first grade debut in round 14, 2007 with the St George Illawarra Dragons against the Parramatta Eels with Parramatta snatching a 20-12 win and Tom scoring a try.Hewitt's position... |
Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
| Corey Payne Corey Payne Corey Payne is an Australian professional rugby league player in the National Rugby League competition. Payne plays for the Bulldogs and previously played for St George Illawarra Dragons and Wests Tigers. Payne primarily plays at lock.Payne made his NRL debut in the first game of the 2005 season,... |
Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
| Adam Peek Adam Peek Adam Peek is an Australian professional rugby league player. He currently plays for Crusaders Rugby League in the Super League.Peek's position of choice is prop, though he can also play in the second row.... |
Cronulla Sharks Cronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
| Charlie Leaeno | Bulldogs |
First Grade Signed Players
St George Illawarra Dragons has 31 signed players in first grade that play in the main competition.Team Lineup
Line up for the Qualifying Finals vs. Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesManly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
:
Saturday, 13 September 2008 at 8:30pm AEST at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
- Last 9 are currently inactive due to injury, fulfilling other commitments, being used as "spares" or playing in lower grades. e.g. NSW Cup, Queensland CupQueensland CupThe Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
or Toyota Cup.
National Youth Competition (Toyota Cup Under 20s)
The Dragons U20s side were strong off from the start. For the Toyota Cup inaugural season, the Dragons Under-20s Side is coached by Steven Price. Before the regular season began, the Dragons won a Toyota Cup Trial match against the Bulldogs down at WIN StadiumWIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
in Wollongong. They started the regular season disappointing with a 34-22 loss to the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
. However, the Dragons have not lost another match after that with 1 bye in their past leaving them on top of the Toyota Cup table, on 22 competition points. Their 10-match winning streak came to an end in Round 13 at WIN Stadium
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
when they drew 22 all with the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
. While the First Grade side continued their winning streak, the Under 20s were looking to start a losing streak as they were defeated back-to-back for the first time this year by the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
28-26 in Round 15 at ANZ Stadium and 32-16 by the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast. They returned to the winners circle in Round 17 defeating the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
26-18 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
EnergyAustralia Stadium
Newcastle International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home ground of the Newcastle Knights and the Newcastle United Jets teams. It is owned by the New South Wales government and administered by the Hunter Region...
. In Round 18, straight after a fresh win, they once again lost a match this time against the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
38-28 at WIN Stadium
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground is a rectangular multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team...
. They then had back and forth wins during the regular season keeping them in the top 8, struggling to keep their spot(s).
Toyota Cup signed players
The following 34 players are signed with the St. George Illawarra Dragons for the Toyota Cup.Toyota Cup lineup
This is the Dragons' Toyota Cup weekly lineup.Lineup for the Preliminary Finals vs. Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
:
Friday, 26 September 2008 at 5:30 pm AEST at the Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
- 1 Interchange player to be omitted before game.
- Last 6 are currently inactive due to injury, fulfilling other commitments, being used as "spares" or playing in the NSW Cup or the S.G. Ball CupS.G. Ball CupThe S G Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 18. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs...
.