St George Illawarra Dragons' annual Queen's Birthday clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium on Monday, June 8 (4pm). This is your Round 4 game guide.
- NRL.com match preview
- Spine shift defines Round 4 team list
- Foran returns for the Bulldogs
- McGregor remains confident in his men
We go again…
There's not enough superlatives to describe last week's performance, but it's fair to say unacceptable leads the race for everyone involved with the Dragons as well as the Red V members and fans.
The Dragons' last start 18-0 loss to the New Zealand Warriors was not what the club had planned for its first game back since the forced Covid-19 stand-down period.
The beauty of rugby league though is that it's on again this week, as the Dragons look to right some wrongs. Monday could not come sooner!
A big day for birthday boy
Adam Clune will bring up his 100th senior game for St George Illawarra when he runs out for his NRL debut on Monday, coincidentally his 25th birthday.
Such is the faith shown in the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles junior, Ben Hunt has moved to five-eighth for the first time in seven years while Matt Dufty has made way for Corey Norman at fullback.
In other changes, veteran duo Trent Merrin and Issac Luke return for the Dragons at the expense of Korbin Sims and Tyrell Fuimaono while Josh Kerr has been named to play his first game in the starting 13.
Issac Luke looking forward to utility role
Similar stakes for combatants
Kieran Foran will celebrate game 200 in the NRL; the premiership-winning, Kiwi international's first game back since major shoulder surgery.
It's a big boost for the winless Bulldogs who too have been put under the microscope throughout the week.
The Queen's Birthday Monday has traditionally been a hard-fought fixture between the Dragons and Bulldogs. This week will be no different.
The Red V have won three of the four past clashes against the Bulldogs (including the past two Queen's Birthday Monday games) but it means little as both teams look to secure its first competition points of season 2020.
