Dragons forwards Jack de Belin, Paul Vaughan make claim for Origin selection

JACK de Belin and Paul Vaughan have showed why the Dragons pack is proving worth the admission price alone and have given NSW coach Laurie Daley plenty to think about.

Paul Vaughan gets a pass away for St George's Russell Packer to score a try. Picture: Brett Costello

JACK De Belin lost his top knot.

Gained the beard, then a bull ring in his nose.

And nothing has been the same since.

Ditto Paul Vaughan.

A fella who around this time last year, was languishing in Canberra reserves. But now?

Well, how about we size them both up in NSW Origin jerseys?

For only five days after tearing it up in the City-Country farewell, De Belin and Vaughan again showed why this St George Illawarra pack is proving worth the admission price alone in 2017.

And, no, they didn’t get the win against Cronulla.

But, geez, it wasn’t through a lack of effort.

Or skill in the middle.

\MATCH REPORT: Scrappy Sharks beat Dragons in derby

Paul Vaughan gets a pass away for St George's Russell Packer to score a try. Picture: Brett Costello

All up, one of those genuine slobberknockers you’re glad you battled a Sydney peak hour to see.

And for Dragons fans, undoubtedly, the talking point this morning — well, after that forward pass which cost them — is De Belin, Vaughan and Blues coach Laurie Daley

For while the home side were missing Test stars Gareth Widdop and Josh Dugan, then lost centre Euan Aitken with under 20 minutes gone, they still came within one mistimed grubber near the finish of an upset

And as is becoming custom, they did it up front.

Take Vaughan, who scored one try, set up another, ran for 191m, made three tackle breaks, two offloads, 25 tackles and, importantly, missed none.

Then De Belin, who after being best on ground for Country a few days back, broke the line four times while also clearing triple figures in attack.

Jack de Belin looks dejected after losing to the Sharks.

Asked about the Origin hopes of Vaughan, Dragons coach Paul McGregor said: “It’s good to see individuals get rewarded when the team goes well.

“And Paul is one of those players at the moment who is doing everything right for his team. When you compete like he did against a team like Cronulla, you’re going to get noticed.

“So he’s got one more game now before Origin selection. Same with Jack.”

And as for what the Dragons have done to revive the game of this 193cm prop?

“I think he just needed some confidence,’’ McGregor continued. “Probably needed a change as well.

“When somebody gets a boot up the backside like Paul did last year, he really wanted to challenge himself.

“He’s had what he classes the toughest pre-season ever for him. We’ve also simplified his game around what he needs to do for this footy team. And he’s going out and proving a point each week.”

Russell Packer celebrates scoring a try against the Sharks.

Isn’t he what?

And for proof, rewind this one to midway through the second half when, with his side trailing by four and needing a lift, Vaughan charged at the tryline, drew in several Cronulla defenders and — pop — offloaded to Russell Packer.

Try.

It was a similar story earlier, with 27 minutes gone, only this time the Dragons enforcer crashed over himself.

Indeed, having charged all 110 kilos onto a short ball from hooker Cameron McInness, Vaughan was simply to big, too strong for the defence of rivals Jayden Brailey and Matt Prior, both of whom he pushed through before reaching out to score.

At which point you had to ask yourself how many times the big unit might’ve done that in his life?

Likely a gazillion, give or take a couple.

So what chance now in Origin I?