Jessica Sergis says St George Dragons ready to rebound against NZ Warriors
A year is a long time in sport. But not long enough for Dragons speedster Jessica Sergis.
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It wasn’t the result they wanted or expected but for Dragons speedster Jessica Sergis it could have been a lot worse.
At least this time she got through the Dragons 14-4 loss to the Brisbane Broncos in one piece and able to remember what happened in the women’s NRL premiership game.
In the same match a year ago Sergis was on the receiving end of one of the biggest hits in the inaugural NRLW season when knocked out in a front-on tackle on Broncos winger Julia Robinson.
Concussed, the 22-year-old had little recollection of the match, the hit or crashing to the ground in a heap.
“So it definitely could have been worse although we did lose on my birthday which wasn’t great,” Sergis said in the wake of the first round loss to the Broncos last Sunday at Bankwest stadium.
“We had such high hopes but the Broncos were just the better team and we had too many errors.’’
We need to lift our game. Another step wrong and that’s that for us
Sergis has relocated from Sydney to Wollongong with partner, Dragons young gun Zac Lomax, and is working as a pre-school educator in the area.
She is hoping the move south is the first of many changes to her life in 2019.
“My big goal is to make the Jillaroos,’’ Sergis said.
Part of the NSW Blues successful State of Origin campaign in June, the opportunity to make her Australian debut last season was denied by injury.
“Having been so close and making that run-in squad last season, then two days prior doing my MCL (medial collateral ligament), I was gutted,’’ Sergis said.
“I have worked so much harder this year and won an Origin, won national champs.
“I would love to get the Jillaroos jersey.’’
Sergis, a Coogee-Randwick Wombats junior before forced to stop playing at 12 due to a lack of girls league competitions, said the Dragons have put the week one loss behind them to concentrate on their second round clash against the Warrior in New Zealand.
“We’re not panicking, we just need to rectify a few things,’’ Sergis said.
“It was all about the errors. We just dropped ball, gave away penalties. It was hot and aggressive out there as well.
“It was a wake up call that we need to be sharper and more intense, we have to have more energy and intensity. These are all things we know we can work on.
“We need to lift our game. Another step wrong and that’s that for us.’’
Sergis said she was disappointed with her own output - six tackle busts and 75 metres - and is looking to amp up her own game in a match she said the Dragons are treating as do-or-die.
With just three rounds played before the season decider, a loss to the Warriors - who beat the Roosters last weekend - would douse even the slightest hope the Dragons have of making their first NRLW grand final.
“We can’t change it or fix the last result we just have to make sure it makes us a better team,’’ she said. “We have to put on a show. We could be knocked out.
“It’s do or die for us. We have to be switched on.”
Not making the mission in New Zealand any easier is the loss of St George Illawarra forward Teuila Fotu-Moala, the first player in NRLW history to be charged by the match review committee after attracting a grade two charge for a tackle on Broncos hooker Lavinia Gould.
Fotu-Moala has been rubbed out for the remainder of the NRLW season after unsuccessfully seeking a downgrade for a crusher tackle on Tuesday night.
MORE NEWS
NRLW Premiership Round 2
September 21: 5:05pm AEST
Brisbane Broncos v Sydney Roosters, AAMI Park
Live on GEM (national), Live on Fox Sports.
Sunday September 22: 11:15pm AEST/3:15pm NZT
New Zealand Warriors v St George Illawarra Dragons, Mt Smart Stadium
Live on Nine (NSW/Qld); GEM (all other states), Live on Fox League.