Source :- THE AGE NEWS
You have to give St George Illawarra a bit of credit for refusing to throw in the towel, despite knowing they have already won the wooden spoon this season.
The Dragons lost 28-22 against the Dolphins on Friday evening, but they were pushing for a try inside the final two minutes in the hope of sending the game in Wollongong to golden point.
Kyle Flanagan put up the kick at the end of an ordinary set, the Dragons kept the ball alive, then lodged a captain’s challenge when they thought the Dolphins had got a hand to the ball during the frantic play.
But the bunker spotted Hamish Stewart in an offside position as he chased through Flanagan’s kick, and the Dolphins received the ball.
The Dragons have not had much luck for a lot of the year when it comes to close calls, which was pointed out by the club’s own CEO Tim Watsford last week after the club officially announced Dean Young would be the head coach.
There was a moment late in the game when Isaiya Katoa knocked down a Valentine Holmes pass, and there was a suggestion the ball went forward. Katoa himself laid there and looked at debutant referee Kieren Irons to make a call.
But Katoa played on, and the Dolphins scored a minute later through Tom Flegler to give them a decent lead.
Dragons coach Dean Young was not too bothered by the call, especially given Irons was overseeing his first game, and was disappointed his side squandered their chances.
“There are moments we’re not icing,” Young said. “We’ll make a couple of line breaks, but not turn them into points, while the Dolphins made a few line breaks, score tries and nail them – we need to nail our opportunities when we get them.”
Lyhkan King-Togia was brought into the starting halves at the expense of Daniel Atkinson, grew in confidence the longer the game went – and Young confirmed he would retain the starting role next Sunday when they host Cronulla.
King-Togia started to ask plenty of questions down the left edge, and came up with a ripper of a cutout ball for Tyrell Sloan that sent him down field before the play finished with Clint Gutherson getting across the line.
King-Togia was also the one who went down the short side before Holmes’ pass was touched by Katoa.
“I thought he was great, I thought he defended great, he saved a tackle down on the tryline against Kuli [Finefeuiaki] who is a handful,” Young said.
“He’ll only get better from here on in. Lyhkan will be five-eighth next week because of tonight’s performance.”
Young added Atkinson would feature in reserve grade on Saturday, while another playmaker, Kade Reed, was a chance to return from a broken hand via NSW Cup next weekend.
The Dragons trailed at half-time, but three of the Dolphins tries had come from nowhere, and inside their own half.
Connelly Lemuelu’s flick pass hit the chest of Kodi Nikorima who stormed down field before he threw the final pass back in for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to score the opening try.
Jack Bostock’s pass for Selwyn Cobbo was even better, while Kurt Kurt Donoghoe brushed past some soft defence to gallop down field before the Dolphins scored the next play through Ray Stone.
When young referred to his side not cashing in on their chances, there were none bigger than just after half-time when Holmes intercepted a Katoa pass, sprinted 40m, then threw a bludger of a ball for Setu Tu that dribbled another 10m forward.
Tu scored a try in the first half and came up with the shot of the night on future Dragons’ teammate and Dolphins’ playmaker Kodi Nikorima.
The Dragons, who have already collected the unwanted wooden gong, host the Sharks, while the Dolphins try to keep their top-four hopes alive when they host the Broncos next Saturday.
