Dragons team of the decade: Highs and lows for St George Illawarra

Will St George-Illawarra ever match the accomplishments of that 2010 premiership-winning team? It’s no wonder so many of those players dominate the club’s best 17 from the past 10 years.

Dragons: Team of the decade

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The decade started in the best way possible for St George Illawarra with a drought-breaking victory in the 2010 grand final.

But following coach Wayne Bennett’s departure soon after that success, the club went into a period of decline.

Now perennial underachievers, the Dragons have made the finals just two times after Bennett’s 2011 exit and narrowly avoided the wooden spoon last season.

With the premiership standing out like Michael Weyman’s melon in an otherwise dreary decade, this team includes 12 players from the 2010 decider (including the entire backline).

And in an achievement likely never repeated, the team includes five local juniors who went on to become one-club players — Matt Cooper, Jason Nightingale, Ben Hornby, Ben Creagh and Dean Young.

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The Dragons saw the best of Darius Boyd.

1 Darius Boyd: Boyd’s three years under Bennett at the Dragons were the best of his club career. He finished his stint with a premiership, Clive Churchill medal, third-place Dally M finish (highest of his career) and a Dally M fullback of the year award (only time he won the award).

2 Brett Morris: A NSW and Test regular for most of his five seasons at the Dragons during the decade, playing nine seasons all up in red and white. Son of Slippery, premiership hero, local junior and the club’s second top try scorer (112).

3 Mark Gasnier: Makes this side despite playing just one-and-a-half seasons during the decade. Following a stint in rugby union, the Renown United junior was parachuted into the all-conquering premiership side midway through 2010 and rode the wave through to the title. Announced his shock retirement a year later at 29, while still an incumbent Origin player.

They don’t come more Dragony than Matt Cooper.

4 Matt Cooper: True great of the club. Premiership hero, local junior, one-club player, the club’s all-time leading tryscorer (117) and fourth for games (243).

5 Jason Nightingale: You could cut and paste from above and just change the numbers. The Renown United junior sits third for tries (110), third for games (266) and was the beating heart of the Dragons backline through to his retirement in 2018.

6 Jamie Soward: Like Boyd, the best seasons of Soward’s career were under Bennett at the Dragons. In these three years Soward notched a premiership, three games for NSW, ran second in the Dally M and became club’s top all-time point scorer (977).

7 Ben Hornby: Another true legend of the club. A local junior and one-club player, Hornby holds the record for most games for the club (274) and he captained the premiership side.

Michael Weyman is one of the club’s unsung heroes.

8 Michael Weyman: Far more than just a cult hero, Weyman provided grunt up front for the Dragons over five seasons and 94 games. During his time at the club Weyman played four games for NSW, one for Australia and started at prop in the 2010 grand final. Bennett paid him huge praise when he stated: “I’d have him in any team I coached, I wouldn’t have a hesitation.”

9 Dean Young: The epitome of toughness. Played 209 games, all at the Dragons and many of them on one leg. While capable in the back row or as a bench utility, Young started at hooker in the 2010 grand final and his stunning form that year saw him named for the Kangaroos and NSW.

10 Trent Merrin: Played off the bench as a young gun in the 2010 grand final and quickly emerged as the Dragons’ dominant middle forward until his departure in 2016. Played 13 Origins, seven Tests and re-joins the club for 2020.

Ben Creagh was another Red V through and through.

11 Ben Creagh: Another local junior, another one-club player, another club legend. Starting as a raw winger before converting to the back row, Creagh sits second on the all-time appearances list (270 games), also playing 11 Origins and two Tests.

12 Tyson Frizell: Dominant forward of the current side and automatic selection for Australia (14 games) and NSW (11 games). After a brief stint at the Sharks to start his career, Frizell has played 146 matches in the Red V.

13 Jack De Belin: Regardless of recent headlines, De Belin deserves a spot in this side on performances alone. Debuting in 2011, the tough-as-teak middle forward played the most NRL games (155) during the decade of any player on this list and notched three Origins along the way.

Gareth Widdop deserves to be counted among the club’s finest. Photo: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

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14 Gareth Widdop: It’s fair to say Widdop’s time at the club didn’t reach the heights many hoped. With Widdop at the helm of the attack for six seasons, the Dragons only made the top eight twice as he battled a series of serious of serious shoulder injuries. Even so, the Englishman did put in some brilliant performances, winning 2017 Dally M five-eighth of the year and becoming club’s second highest point scorer.

15 Josh Dugan: As with Widdop, Dugan’s winning percentage doesn’t make for great reading during the easybeat years of the decade. But Dugan was a Test and Origin regular while at the club and at times it appeared the Dragons’ only attacking option was “pass it to Duges”.

16 Beau Scott: Played for four NRL clubs but his best work was undoubtedly at the Dragons. Over 119 games, Scott gave the team a steely, uncompromising attitude that earned him the nickname “Milat”. Also played 11 Origins and three Tests.

17 Paul Vaughan: The Canberra junior has only played three seasons for the club and therefore has the least caps (65) of any player in this team. But his impact has been huge, topping the forwards for runs, metres, tries and linebreaks over the last three years. Now a NSW regular.

Originally published as Dragons team of the decade: Highs and lows for St George Illawarra