Dragons' drought-breaking win eases pressure on besieged McGregor
A desperate Dragons defied a week of drama to deliver a potentially career-saving win for coach Paul McGregor, ambushing arch-rivals Cronulla to notch their first win of the season.
Just days after St George Illawarra's board resisted calls to axe McGregor after a dismal loss to the Bulldogs, the Red V recorded their first victory in 281 days with a 30-16 success at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday.
The rescheduled match – brought forward more than two hours after the Roosters-Bulldogs clash was postponed due to a COVID-19 scare – prevented the Dragons recording their worst start to a season in the joint venture history.
An inspired Ben Hunt, dropped to the bench and then playing almost 60 minutes at hooker, starred for the Dragons alongside veteran prop James Graham, who had his best match for months after also being replaced in the starting side.
Cameron McInnes crashes through two Sharks defenders to score on Sunday.Credit:AAP
The result will be a confidence booster for the besieged club, which has been pilloried for not scoring a try in each of their first two matches since the COVID-19 shutdown.
Young winger Jason Saab and utility Tristan Sailor have also been touted as looking for opportunities elsewhere after failing to crack the first team this year.
McGregor pulled the right rein with significant changes to his 17, relieving the pressure on Hunt, who scored a crucial try moments before half-time, and set up captain Cameron McInnes' effort from close range in the second half.
Instead, McGregor's Cronulla counterpart John Morris will come under increased scrutiny with only one win in the first five rounds.
Battle of Briton: James Graham and Sharks forward Briton Nikora scuffle.Credit:Getty
McGregor cut a relaxed figure in the hours before kick-off, seeming oblivious to the storm which has engulfed him all week as he joked with Morris near the tunnel.
The famous "St George, St George" chant was heard for the first time in months during the first half. It only came from a few dozen corporates in the eastern stand, but at least it was there. McGregor might be on thin ice, but some of the club's fans stick thick.
Somehow, the Dragons led at half-time. McGregor benched Hunt and Graham before kick-off, elevating Matt Dufty and Trent Merrin to the starting side with Corey Norman's fullback experiment lasting one week.
Hunt looked a man relieved as he jogged on after a quarter of the match was done and slotted into dummy-half.
He made a bad read in defence and the 'eye in the sky' saved him, denying Shaun Johnson a try. He desperately wrestled his way over the line a minute before the break and the eye in the sky again went his way, overturning Henry Perenara's on-field call.
Dufty jump-started an attack which took 174 minutes since the competition restarted to post a try, floating a long ball to Mikaele Ravalawa to cancel out Mawene Hiroti's early try. The next time the Dragons would score it would be all the little man himself.
Hunt's short ball for McInnes gave the Dragons a 14-point buffer inside the last quarter, one which they barely looked capable of clinging to when Wade Graham scored with 11 minutes left.
Yet they did. McGregor could smile ... finally.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 30 (Mikaele Ravalwa 2, Matt Dufty, Ben Hunt, Cameron McInnes tries; Zac Lomax 5 goals) defeated CRONULLA SHARKS 16 (Maweene Hiroti, Sione Katoa, Wade Graham tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Referee: Henry Perenara.