Dragons hold on for bruising Wollongong victory

The hosts found a quick try with Damien Cook zipping through up the middle and finding his supporting co-captain Clint Gutherson on the inside.

Gutherson bumped away from a pair of defenders before moving the ball through the hands to late inclusion Lawson who went over in the southeastern corner for the first try of his NRL career.

The Dragons were in an attacking mood early with Lyhkan King-Togia slicing through the next set to put his side right back on the attack only for an ill-timed error to put an end to the raid.

Corey Allan left the field for a HIA 15 minutes in – which he ultimately passed – forcing the Dragons into a temporary backline re-shuffle

King-Togia sent a cross-field bomb up the following play for Valentine Holmes to knock back to a well-positioned Luciano Leilua who moved it through the hands out to Lawson to score on virtually the same blade of grass as his first.

With a full WIN Stadium Hill as his backdrop, Holmes nailed the conversion from the left touchline to make it a 10-point game.

Jack Williams was placed on report a quarter of the way in for a high shot on Guler which forced the milestone man off the field for a HIA which he was able to pass.

The Eels hit back shortly after with Josh Addo-Carr scoring off a nice Sean Russell tip-on to bring it back to 10-4 with Zac Lomax’s conversion cannoning off the right post and out.

A Parramatta error put the Dragons back in good field position and they took full advantage sending a fifth-tackle raid at the visitors’ left edge as Moses Suli manufactured a slick pass to Allan to dive over in the corner and make it 14-4.

The Dragons surged right back down the field the next set courtesy of a late set restart with Holmes sending King-Togia into space several plays later to inject some more life into the attack.

The set ended with Kyle Flanagan showing, fending, and going to slam the ball down in front of a raucous Southern Grandstand and make it a 20-4 game.

Fifita was inserted into the action off it for his first taste of NRL since Round 3 last year and made his presence known from the outset courtesy of a roaring carry off the kick-off.

The Red V’s scorching first half attack continued with King-Togia and Holmes again combining as the latter steamed through to outleap Isaiah Iongi off the former’s kick and dive over.

Holmes converted his own try to make it 26-4 headed into the break much to the delight of the Dragons faithful.

The Eels grabbed the first points of the second half with Lomax diving over in the southwestern corner of the field to cut the deficit back to 18.

Hamish Stewart was taken from the field after copping a heavy head clash in a collision off the corresponding kick-off bringing Jack de Belin back into the action.

Parramatta were again able to crack the Dragons line with Kitione Kautoga crafting a timely offload for Dean Hawkins to dive over and bring it back to 26-14.

The visitors’ fightback continued the next set with Kelma Tuilagi the beneficiary of a spilt Hawkins bomb which resulted in the second rower scoring under the posts.

Toby Couchman was assisted from the field in the aftermath of the try with an apparent shoulder concern seeing Cook return into the action.

The Eels looked to have scored their fifth soon after through Russell only for the sideline official to have ruled that Addo-Carr had stepped on the touchline in the lead-up.

Hawkins claimed a try for the Eels with a little under 10 minutes on the clock but was denied by video officials due to a double knock-on.

The Dragons were forced to defend their line for what seemed an age but were able to repel the Eels as the clock continued to tick.

Parramatta sent the Dragons into a mad scramble soon after with Tuilagi bursting into the backfield and finding Lomax who shrugged away from several defenders before throwing a loose offload which was scooped up by Holmes who sprinted more than half the field untouched for a brilliant four-pointer.

Flanagan stepped up to knock over the conversion and make it 32-20 as the Dragons faithful breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Tuilagi was place on report in the final minute for a dangerous tackle on Jack de Belin paving the way for Flanagan to knock over a penalty goal and seal a 34-20 Dragons victory.