NRL pre-season trial: Dragons defeat Rabbitohs in Charity Shield 46-26

The Rabbitohs are suddenly staring down the barrel of a tough start to the season, with a loss to the Dragons in the Charity Shield adding salt to the wounds of a catastrophic week for Wayne Bennett’s men.

After a catastrophic week that saw them lose skipper Cameron Murray, potentially for the season, and star fullback Latrell Mitchell for up to two months, Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs were suddenly staring down the barrel of a tough start to the season.

Things didn’t look like they’d get any better on Saturday either after they were blown off the park in the first half-hour against the new-look Dragons before going down 46-26 in the 42nd Charity Shield.

English halfback Lewis Dodd was again off the pace and then put on report in the 27th minute for a high shot on Dragons’ winger Sione Finau before he was retrospectively sin binned at half time under the NRL’s experimental new rule when Finau failed his HIA.

The Dragons were always going to win after racing to a 34-0 lead inside the first half-hour of the match played in beautiful conditions at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee and aside from an on field nap either side of the break, they were very good.

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan ran out a near full-strength side for the second trial in a row and it was his new recruits that led the way. Captain Clint Gutherson, centre Val Holmes, former Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Damian Cook, and prop Emre Guler all had their moments of sparkle for their new club.

Rabbitohs playmaker Lewis Dodd has been sin-binned as the NRL experiments with a new rule.

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Of concern for Flanagan would be the ten or so minutes either side of halfway when Souths scored five unanswered tries of their own courtesy of some individual brilliance from Mitchell’s replacement, Jye Gray, and new recruit Jamie Humphreys, the pair collectively setting up or scoring five tries.

Despite that period when Souths mounted their spirited comeback, Gutherson was buoyed by his side’s performance.

“It was really impressive, obviously that first half we were doing everything right.

“We came out a little bit slow in the second half there and made it hard on ourselves, but it’s rugby league, when the flow gets in it’s hard to get out of it.

“So really pleased we got exactly what we did out of it, and especially last couple of weeks, we’re growing slowly, which we wanted to do, and now we can rest up and get ready to go for round one.”

Combinations

It was hard to pick which edge had the best combination for the Dragons but with Gutherson popping up on both sides of the field and injecting himself into the backline, the Red V now have two very dangerous attacking options.

On the left Luciano Leilua and Val Holmes were outstanding feeding Finau, while on the right Moses Suli and Jaydn Su’A were damaging in creating space for Matt Feagai.

Clinton Gutherson. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Recruit Watch

The Dragons’ roster overhaul was one of the stories of the off season, none more so than the signings of veterans Gutherson and Holmes and the duo were in everything, collectively having a hand in six Dragons’ tries.

For Souths there will be some tough decisions to be made on the makeup of their spine to start the season, with Dodd struggling to inject himself into the game in both trials, a fact only exacerbated by his time in the sin bin.

On the positive side, former Sea Eagle Humphreys came off the bench at hooker and may have done enough to force his way past Dodd or Peter Mamouzelos for a round one starting spot.

Humphreys, who played in the halves in his solitary NRL game for Manly, came on for Mamouzelos in the first half and looked far more creative at dummy half before switching to halfback with Dodd in the sin bin. At first receiver he laid on a pair of tries for Keaon Koloamatangi before a scything run to beat three players and score himself – all inside the first 12 minutes of the second stanza.

After the game Humphreys told Fox Sports he was ready to play anywhere his side needs.

“I’ve trained everywhere to be honest, looking to be able to cover anything that Wayne needs me to cover. Like you said, be a Mr. Fix it and be wherever I am needed and I can fill a hole for the team.

“I can do a bit of goal kicking, kicking, here and there, so I can cover the halves and hooker and anywhere, to be honest, that he needs me.”

Jamie Humphreys was a standout. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Rookie Watch 

At the Dragons, two-gamer Finau looks to be in a battle with Tyrell Sloan for the left wing spot for round one and after today’s performance he may have locked away that jersey. Finau scored four tries inside 28 minutes before he left the field with what appeared to a combination of heat stroke and delayed concussion symptoms caused by Dodd’s high shot.

While not strictly a rookie after playing four games under Bennett for the Dolphins last season, new Rabbitohs middle forward Lachlan Hubner was solid coming off the bench and could well come into calculations for a bench spot early in the season.

Sione Finau was electric. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Hot Take

A player yet to set foot in Kogarah or Wollongong this season will start the year in the front row for the Dragons. David Klemmer will join the Red V within a week and partner Emre Guler upfront in round one.

Final Say 

The Dragons’ slashing win comes off the back of a comprehensive 26-8 victory over the Roosters last week, setting up a mouth-watering round one clash with the Bulldogs at Kogarah.

Meanwhile, Souths can expect Cody Walker, Tevita Tatola, Jai Arrow and Siliva Havili all to return for their round one matchup against the Dolphins in Brisbane but their biggest question mark is sorting out who will wear the number seven and nine jerseys. No doubt Bennett has the answers.

Originally published as NRL pre-season trial: Dragons defeat Rabbitohs in Charity Shield 46-26