The St George Illawarra Dragons were victorious over both the Mudgee Dragons and Illawarra Cutters in a game of four quarters at WIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah on Friday.
The Red-and-Whites defeated the Cutters in the first quarter and overcame the Mudgee Dragons in the second, but with the team change were unable to defeat the Illawarra Cutters in the third with the Mudgee Dragons retiring with ten minutes left in the final stanza.
Head Coach Steve Price made one change to the 27 man squad making the decision to rest young gun Jack Bird who was suffering a slight shoulder pain.
First Quarter
The Dragons took on the Illawarra Cutters in the first of four quarters with new recruit and five-eighth Gareth Widdop making an impact early, passing a quick ball to Jack de Belin to send him over for the first try of the game in the eighth minute.
The 13th minute saw another new recruit and halfback Sam Williams take the ball over the Cutters’ tryline in a show of strength to take their lead to 8-0.
A unique Sam Williams kick saw fullback Josh Dugan leap for the ball in competition with Cutters fullback Jason Raper only to take it over the line for another four points in the dying seconds of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
The second quarter saw the home side take on the Mudgee Dragons with a quick ball from hooker Mitch Rein taking prop Leeson Ah Mau over the line to open the scoring in the second minute.
Three front rowers showed their worth when Josh Ailaomai threw a quick ball to Trent Merrin before Mike Cooper took it over the line for another four points three minutes later.
The 13th minute saw winger Dylan Farrell run 40 metres before passing to winger Nathan Green sending him over the tryline to take the score to 12-0.
Fullback Josh Dugan passed a quick ball to Gerard Beale to send him over with five minutes to go in the second quarter.
Williams broke the line in the 16th minute before passing to Green to send him over for his second try taking the score to 20-nil.
Beale went over for his second try of the match with two minutes to go to take the home side’s lead to 24.
In the dying seconds of the second quarter Farrell took a Dugan pass over the line to make it 28-nil for the Dragons.
Third Quarter
The third quarter saw the Illawarra Cutters take to the field for the second time with Coach Steve Price giving Team 2 the chance to showcase their skills with Captain for the match Gareth Widdop staying on.
The Illawarra Cutters tested the Dragons’ defence before finally going over in the form of prop Jack Twist in the sixth minute to open the scoring in the third stanza.
The Cutters didn’t miss a chance to extend their lead when five-eighth Rory O’Brien leapt over the line to take the score to eight with the Dragons scoreless.
The last two minutes of the third stanza saw second-rower Bronson Harrison put four points on the board to take the score to 8-4.
Fourth Quarter
The Dragons opened scoring in the last quarter with second-rower Leeson Ah Mau running the ball along the right edge before passing to halfback Sam Williams who took it over the line.
Dragons winger Dylan Farrell took the ball over on the right edge in the fifth minute to take their lead to eight.
The Mudgee Dragons were caught short on the edge when young gun winger Yaw Kiti Glymin stepped over the line for a try to take it to 12.
The final ten minutes saw the Illawarra Cutters take over for the Mudgee Dragons, with hooker Shane Pumipi going over in the 12th minute.
The 14th minute saw winger Nathan Green stumble over the Cutters tryline for another four points on the board to take the score to 16-4.
With a minute on the clock the Cutters went over for their second try of the last quarter in the form of utility Jake Leary to take the score to 16-8.
The St George Illawarra Dragons defeated the Illawarra Cutters 16-8 and the Mudgee Dragons 44-0.
First Quarter
St George Illawarra Dragons 12. Tries: de Belin, Williams, Dugan.
Illawarra Cutters 0
Second Quarter
St George Illawarra Dragons 28. Tries: Green (2), Beale (2), Ah Mau, Cooper, Farrell.
Mudgee Dragons 0
Third Quarter
St George Illawarra Dragons 4. Tries: Harrison.
Illawarra Cutters 8. Tries: Twist, O’Brien.
Fourth Quarter
St George Illawarra Dragons 16. Tries: Williams, Farrell, Glymin, Green, .
Mudgee Dragons 0 & Illawarra Cutters 4. Tries: Pumipi.
