Dragons breath fire at last
April 25th 2008 23:39
Josh Morris did what was required on Anzac Day.
Nathan Brown would be wishing Anzac Day was on every weekend.
Yesterday he witnessed a performance that would have made the most hardened war veteran go sober.
He witnessed a team that showed pride and spirit for the full 80 minutes. A team that was helbent on winning on the most emotional day in the Australian calender.
Most importantly However, Brown has discovered what the Dragons have desperately been short on. Attitude.
So why the performance yesterday?
The Dragons are a team that thrive on momentum and belief. If they have had a shocking start to a season, you might as well blow the torch on their premiership campaign.
On paper they have a very talented roster which is capable of giving any team a run for their money.
The likes of Gasnier, Cooper, Ryles, Hornby, Stanley and Young really provide the Dragons with a decent platform to play some mesmorising football.
To think that the players above are all local juniors just gives testiment to the abundence of talent down in the Illawarra region.
It is hard to believe that a team with the Dragons capabilities over the years, has failed to win a premiership.
They have gone close in recent seasons but have failed to perform when needed the most.
However their record on Anzac Day is quite astonishing to say the least.
The Dragons have won four of the last six clashes against the chooks on Anzac Day. A pretty good feat to say the least.
However the performance yesterday raised more questions than answers for coach Nathan Brown.
Why the inconsistency? Why only on Anzac Day?
In the end the game is only worth two premiership points. It won't give you a run into the playoffs. It will not deliver you a premiership.
What it will give the Dragons is a platform to really kick start their campaign for redemption in 2008.
Players like Justin Poore really played themselves into form yesterday afternoon and that alone will breath a good deal of character within the club.
Poore made 10 hit-ups for 160 metres. A titanic performance against probably the most intimidating pack in the competition.
Mark Gasnier also played well achieving one linebreak, two offloads and ran the ball for 169 metres. The most of any player on the ground.
He well and truly looks set to be named alongside Justin Hodges for the centenary test.
So what can we expect from the Dragons from here on in.
Recent history suggests that they will collapse into oblivion.
But if the centenary year in rugby league is anything to go by, The Dragons should forget the past, perform on the present and secure the future.
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