NRL 2022: St George Illawarra Dragons season preview, roster analysis, predicted finish
Their 2021 season finished in disarray, and coach Anthony Griffin is under enormous pressure - but the Dragons don’t deserve wooden spoon favouritism. Nick Campton explains why.
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The Dragons will enter 2022 with a new-look squad after fading to finish outside the top 8 for the third straight year in 2021. Nick Campton takes a deep dive into how St George Illawarra are shaping up for 2022.
FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS
2021: 11th
2020: 12th
2019: 15th
2018: 6th
2017: 9th
2022 ODDS
Premiership: $41
Top four: $10
Top eight: $4.50
Most losses: $3.75
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2022 SQUAD
Daniel Alvaro, Junior Amone, Jack Bird, George Burgess, Billy Burns, Jack de Belin, Poasa Faamausili, Mat Feagai, Max Feagai, Jackson Ford, Tyrell Fuimaono, Jack Gosiewski, Ben Hunt, Josh Kerr, Blake Lawrie, Zac Lomax, Moses Mbye, Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, Tautau Moga, Francis Molo, Cody Ramsey, Mikaele Ravalawa, Tariq Sims, Tyrell Sloan, Jaydn Su’A, Moses Suli, Jayden Sullivan, Aaron Woods.
INS: Francis Molo (Cowboys), Aaron Woods (Sharks), Moses Mbye (Tigers), Jaydn Su’A (Rabbitohs), Tautau Moga (Rabbitohs), Moses Suli (Sea Eagles), Jack Gosiewski (Sea Eagles).
OUTS: Tyran Wishart (Storm), Cameron McInnes (Sharks) Matt Dufty (Bulldogs), Paul Vaughan (Bulldogs), Adam Clune (Knights), Jordan Pereira (Broncos), Kaide Ellis (Wigan)
Brayden Wiliame (USA Perpignan), Gerard Beale (released), Billy Brittain (released), Hayden Lomax (released), Corey Norman (released), Trent Merrin (retired).
PLAYERS IN 2021 RICH 100: Seven
Andrew McCullough (74, $600,000), Tariq Sims (64, $650,000), Zac Lomax (60, $650,000), Josh McGuire (51, $700,000), Jack de Belin (34, $750,000), Jack Bird (15, $900,000), Ben Hunt (2, $1.1 million).
SQUAD STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS: There’s plenty of depth in the forwards. Aaron Woods is still a very capable NRL prop but there might not be room for him in the club’s best 17, George Burgess faces a similarly uphill battle to play NRL week in, week out and Josh Kerr also might struggle to crack the side. After their lack of depth was exposed last season, the Dragons should not face such dramas again.
WEAKNESSES: Andrew McCullough is still a tough, honest player, but can he provide the creativity out of hooker the Dragons need? The former Bronco is a rugged defender but his attacking spark has somewhat deserted him in recent years. With Moses Mbye the only other player in the squad who can line up at No.9 it’s a concern.
COACH STATUS AND SAFETY RATING
With just one season at the Dragons under his belt and in the midst of a clean-out, Anthony Griffin should be safe for at least one more season. Before the infamous barbecue tore the heart out of St George Illawarra’s season they were on track to defy the odds and make the finals, and even in the aftermath Griffin managed to blood plenty of youngsters who will form part of the club’s next generation of stars. There are plenty of new faces and moving parts for the Red V in 2022 and it might take some time for all the pieces to fit — but if the wooden spoon favourites match the bookie’s expectations for them early on, the drums will start beating for Griffin.
GAME PLAN/WHAT THEY NEED TO TWEAK
The Dragons must improve their defence before they do anything else. Their strong start to the year was built on keeping their line intact but things degenerated as the year went on in — 13 of their last 14 games for 2021 they conceded more than 20 points. Defensive resolve comes from combinations and attitude, two qualities that were sorely lacking down the stretch, but the good news for Griffin is if he can find his best 17 and stick with it, there should be a natural improvement for the Dragons on the defensive side of the ball.
FREE AGENCY WRAP AND RATING
In landing two Origin forwards (Francis Molo and Jaydn Su’A), the Dragons should have a little more muscle up-front with Su’A in particular producing his best season in first grade last year. Woods provides a strong veteran presence and will be good for culture, as will Mbye, although exactly what role the former Tigers skipper plays for his new club remains to be seen.
WHICH PLAYER CAN THEY REINVENT? MOSES SULI
It can be easy to forget Suli is still just 23. The former Tiger and Sea Eagle has been through plenty in his short NRL career but is still yet to realize the prodigious talent that earned him a deal worth $1.3 million before he’d played first grade. There were glimpses of Suli’s attacking talent in his four years at Manly that were undercut by defensive issues but there is undoubtedly plenty of good football in him somewhere. If Griffin can get the best out of him, Suli could end the year as one of the most damaging centres in the NRL.
WILL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT UPGRADED KIDS MAKE AN IMPACT? TYRELL SLOAN
Sloan was the diamond the Dragons discovered in the rough patch after their season fell apart. Despite beginning the season in SG Ball, Sloan looked right at home in the top grade and crossed for six tries in five games while justifying the club’s decision to move on from Matt Dufty. A languid athlete who always seems to have time, with another pre-season Sloan will take a huge step forward in 2022.
WHO TAKES THE NEXT STEP? JACK BIRD
After years plagued by injury, Bird managed to play 22 of 24 games last season and was quietly one of the club’s best players after the competition relocated to Queensland. After years of migrating through the line-up, Bird will spend 2022 as a ball-playing middle forward and perhaps that’s where he was supposed to be all along. With his skill, footwork and ability to beat defenders, Bird will add a new dimension to the Dragons forward play and could well hit career-best form should his body hold up.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR ... JACK DE BELIN
De Belin was solid on return for the Dragons last year but the club will have high expectations for 2022 given his salary upgrade during his 2½ years on the sidelines as he faced sexual assault chargers that were ultimately dropped. With plenty of competition for spots and the Dragons needing results from the jump, de Belin will have to prove he’s still got what it takes to be a top-class NRL middle.
CAPTAINCY CONTENDERS — BEN HUNT
Given the pressure and scrutiny Hunt attracts due to his monster contract it was a little surprising for Griffin to hand him the captaincy but Hunt thrived with the responsibility, producing his best year as a Dragon even as things fell apart around him. The Queenslander leads with his words and by example, and was at the heart of everything good about the club in 2021. He’ll be the big man on campus for as long as he wants.
WHERE THEY FINISH IN 2022 — 10TH
Wooden spoon talk is a little wide of the mark for the Dragons — there is too much raw talent here for them to bottom out completely, and Griffin has won at least 10 matches in every season he’s coached in the NRL. The finals may a bit beyond them, but they will be in the mix until the final few weeks of the regular season.
FOX SPORTS LAB’S AARON WALLACE SAYS ...
2021 was the third straight season missing the finals for St George Illawarra. Since Wayne Bennett left at the end of the 2011 season they have made the finals just twice in 10 years.
Their 2021 season was ultimately derailed due to the notorious barbecue scandal which saw the club finish the season with eight straight losses, their most in club history. Three of their four first choice spine from the start of the season will not be at the club in 2022 but will be buoyed by end of season form of season debutant Tyrell Sloan, who became the first St George Illawarra player to score in his first five games (six tries).
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