NRL 2020, round 5 — St George Illawarra Dragons Vs Cronulla Sharks

The St George Illawarra Dragons have tasted victory for the first time in 281-days but also found a new role for its million dollar star.

The St George Illawarra Dragons have dragged out the changes for their clash against the Cronulla Sharks and it’s paid off perfectly.

Dropping Ben Hunt from his starting role at five-eighth to the bench, the Dragons’ big money man has shown it’s where he belongs, helping orchestrate a 30-16 win in the derby match.

It’s the Dragons first win in 281-days, with the side scoring its first try in 86-days and dominating the Sharks.

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Matt Dufty came in to fullback with Corey Norman into Hunt’s vacant five-eighth role, while Hunt was brilliant out of dummy half.

Having been kept tryless in the two games back, the Dragons finally ended the try drought when Mikaele Ravalawa ducked under a tackle to score the side’s opening try, one of five in the game.

Dragons are on the board 🔥#NRLDragonsSharks 6-4. #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/wIl3cgrCeS

— NRL (@NRL) June 14, 2020

Earlier, Matt Dufty, who had been brought in to fullback, looked to have scored first but was ruled to have had an obstruction in the lead up.

He made no mistake in the 28th minute.

Ben Hunt then delivered a massive play on the stroke of half-time, scoring coming out of dummy half and muscling his way to the line.

Hunt continued to dominate in the second half and captain and usual hooker Cameron McInnes moved into the lock position.

“Benny Hunt being an Origin hooker, he’s very comfortable there and I think the way the game’s played nowadays with the six again it’s a bit quicker so smaller guys like me can play a bit of a role in the middle there,” McInnes told The Matty Johns Show. “As long as Mary keeps me out there I’m happy, I don’t care what position I play.”

Well what do you know. #hunt at 9 and #CM at 13 works.

— Jamie Soward (@sowwowofficial6) June 14, 2020

Dragons breathe (fire) life into Paul McGregor’s job & their season. Happy for Ben Hunt. Great bloke. One of the most scrutinised, but also happy to front up & answer questions too. Gee I’d love to see him move to hooker full time #NRLDragonsSharks @9NewsQueensland @NRLonNine

— Michael Atkinson (@kinson88) June 14, 2020

Ben Hunt well done. He’s a #9 every day of the week #originhooker

— Mark Geyer (@markMGgeyer) June 14, 2020

Well done Ben Hunt. Good 1/2 of footy! @NRLonNine #NRLDragonsSharks

— Peter Psaltis (@peterp79) June 14, 2020

Ben Hunt is a hooker.

— Dan Bowden (@danbowden_) June 14, 2020

It was an impressive performance with Dufty saying “Ben Hunt changed the game for us today”.

"Ben Hunt changed the game for us today. Early kicks out of dummy-half worked for us." Matt Dufty on Ben Hunt's position change. #NRL #NRLDragonsSharks

— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) June 14, 2020

Hunt told ABC Grandstand that the call was made early in the week for the switch.

“I trained at nine in both of our training sessions this week. It was good of Mary to make the call really early in the week so we didn't stuff around with it but it's a lot faster there than the last time I player hooker,” he said.

The Sharks had also hit the board twice, leaving the game in the balance at 18-10 at half-time.

But the weight of possession finally gave the Dragons a try in the second half and while the Sharks hit back late, and had a controversial line-ball try disallowed by The Bunker, the Dragons scored late to seal the result and finally claim its first win of the season.

Before the match, Fox League’s Ben Ikin said the added confusion may not help the side that is already struggling with organisation but that it may have been all McGregor could do.

“This is a team that’s already looking a little confused,” Ikin said. “They’re lacking confidence so right now what they want is certainty. But Paul McGregor as a coach couldn’t keep doing the same thing, so he’s almost forced to make key changes to personnel. I can see if the Sharks get themselves into a situation where they get into the grind well and really apply the blowtorch to the Dragons, that because there are more changes to personnel in key positions that they look disconnected again.”

Legends believe it’s not what the Dragons needed.

Anasta said that it was a “vicious circle” with constant changes but Nathan Hindmarsh argued the constant changes will likely continue until McGregor can find something that will work.

“To me it’s not the performances, they’ve got to get the best out of their players but it’s more down to their culture, their work ethic, their mindset, their attitude — that doesn’t come down to positional changes in my eyes,” Anasta said.

Ikin added there was a difference in what was expected in different situations, with Norman and Hunt’s uncertainty having been moved to different roles would add confusion.

“I’m confused,” he said. “So when you’re out there in the live environment under pressure, expected to own the big moments as these players are, if you’re confused, chances are you’re not going to come up with the right decision.”