Jersey Flegg: Dragons pitch Belmore shutout to open year

The Dragons managed first points of the encounter off the back of a successful short drop-out with Toby Rumble streaking down the right touchline to put the visitors on the front foot.

Shadi Hammoud sent a supreme cut-out the way of David Afu the following play to make it 4-0 less than 10 minutes in.

After a period defending their own line, the Red V found another with Viliami Hikila producing a barnstorming run to power his way to the stripe and make it a double-digit difference.

Sosefo Finau was placed on report for Canterbury for a late shot on Eden Hodges with the Dragons improving their edge of the back of it.

A Daniel Meafou offload created an opportunity for the visitors with Tom Kirk crafting a timely ball back on his inside to Jarrah Treweek muscled his way to the chalk to make it a 14-point game 25 minutes into the contest.

The Dragons found themselves on the back foot shortly after of some enterprising Bulldogs attack only for Campbell Lyons to come up with a near length of the field intercept to extend the visitors’ lead out to 18.

Hammoud made a brilliant try-saver on a stealing Hamish Wilson to ensure his side kept a first-half clean sheet.

Hammoud left the field for a HIA – which ended his afternoon – early in the second stanza forcing the Dragons into a backline re-shuffle.

Much of the second forty was marred by drop ball, but a Hodges burrowing effort with just 10 minutes on the clock saw the Dragons push their lead out to 22-0.

The good times continued to role for the visitors with Treweek showing some nice poise manufacturing a pinpoint grubber on his inside the very next set for replacement player Viliami Amone who won the race to the ball to score much to the delight of his teammates.