Dragons Lower Grades Wrap: Round 2

The Dragons snagged their first win of the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup season downing the Knights 30-14 in Wollongong on Saturday.

It took just five minutes for the visitors to open the scoring through Laitia Moceidreke down the right flank before Christian Tuipulotu powered his way over off a Josh Ralph cut-out to respond for the Red V.

The Dragons’ second came through No.9 Haele Finau who dummied and burrowed his way over under the sticks to give the hosts their first lead of the afternoon.

Ralph proved a key catalyst for another try on the half-hour mark coming up with a nifty offload into the waiting arms of Toby Couchman who sent the ball out to a powerful Dylan Egan to shove his way over the try-line.

The Knights hit back soon after through centre Fletcher Myers as the Dragons took a 14-10 edge into the half.

Ralph again injected himself into the game early in the second half linking up with Ryan Couchman down the left edge to extend the Dragons lead.

The following set, Jesse Marschke shot out of acting half and into the backfield to send a supporting Ben Murdoch-Masila steaming over under the posts as the Dragons lead ballooned beyond a pair of converted tries.

The Ralph-Couchman duo combined again for the Dragons sixth and final try with the No.6 putting on the toe for the back rower’s second.

The Knights grabbed a try late via winger James Bradley, but it proved not enough as the Red V held on for their opening win of 2024.

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

The Dragons Jersey Flegg Cup unit went down to the Knights 28-4 at Sid Parrish Park on Saturday in their first defeat of the new season.

Halfback Travis May started the scoring for the Knights early before the Dragons came up with an answer through winger Cain Barnes who backed up his Round 1 double with another four-pointer.

Unfortunately, that is where the scoring ended for Aaron Hertsch’s men with Kane Graham, Myles Martin, Kyle McCarthy and Jacob Davis all grabbing second half four-pointers for the visitors as they ran out 28-4 victors.