NRL 2021: Cowboys win 38-26 over Dragons | Match Report

Their finals chances were slim heading into the game, but the Dragons top-eight hopes are over, as the Cowboys snapped a 10-game losing streak.

TOOWOOMBA, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 22: Josh McGuire and Jaiyden Sullivan of the Dragons celebrate Josh McGuire scoring a try during the round 23 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters at Clive Berghofer Stadium, on August 22, 2021, in Toowoomba, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

The Dragons season went up in flames at Paul Vaughan’s infamous barbecue - it’s just taken seven weeks for their finals hopes to finally burn down to ash.

Anthony Griffin’s side already needed a series of miracles to make the finals and their 38-26 loss to North Queensland in Rockhampton was the final nail in the coffin.

Griffin and his charges can now officially start planning for 2022, a season which already looks brighter than this year following the emergence of young trio Tyrell Sloan, Junior Amone and Jayden Sullivan.

The budding playmakers were St George Illawarra’s best on yet another frustrating day but it wasn’t enough to stop the side from recording their seventh-straight loss.

“We threw that one away,” Griffin said.

“For a couple of sets there we were really poor. In the end there wasn’t too much in it.

“But that period where they scored three quick tries I think it was, that killed us off.”

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NRL 2021 RD24 St. George Illawarra Dragons v North Queensland Cowboys - Cowboys Celebration Picture NRL Images

RUN AND GUN

The Dragons were sitting pretty early and led 20-10 at halftime with Sullivan, Amone and Sloan heavily involved.

But a Cowboys blitz after the break, courtesy of four tries in four minutes, wrested the momentum back for Todd Payten’s side.

North Queensland were carrying a ten-match losing streak into this one and recorded their last win back in May.

But on the back of some classy touches from 18-year old backrower Jeremiah Nanai, a strong showing from star forward Jason Taumalolo and some listless Dragons defence, the Cowboys restored a little bit of pride.

“It’s been a long period. If you include the byes it’s been 14 or 15 weeks,” Payten said.

“We fought hard. It wasn’t pretty but we just needed to scrap away and find a way to win and we fell over at the end.

“I’m very proud of the way they went about it. The Dragons competed really hard to cut us down there.”

The Dragons finals hopes are officially over, but there was some positive signs with the form of their young rookies. Picture: NRL Images.

THE FUTURE

Amone, Sloan and Sullivan were the Dragons best by the length of the straight - if not for them, the Cowboys would have won in a canter.

Sloan scored a try, his fourth in as many games this year, and set up another while Amone looked comfortable at five-eighth and did his best to try and engineer a late matchwinner.

Sullivan also finished with a try and an assist and acquitted himself well in the unfamiliar role of hooker.

This season has degenerated into a fiasco but the three local juniors are the future of the club and fans can hope for more of the same from the exciting triumvirate in the future.

“They were terrific. You could see their natural ability out there,” Griffin said.

“Today will help them long term. Their inexperience today had them make a couple of plays that weren’t the right plays at the right time, but you also saw their natural ability and their brilliance.

“As much as that hurts today it’s a great experience today and they’ll learn from that.”

UP IN SMOKE

There is no way of avoiding the impact Vaughan’s indiscretion has had on St George Illawarra’s season.

Beforehand, the Dragons were sitting in seventh and were the masters of their own destiny - their first finals berth since 2018 was there for them if they were good enough.

But the suspensions that came from the biosecurity breaches tore the life out of their season. The night is the hinge on which their campaign swung.

Griffin is retooling the roster and making the finals this year would have been a bonus, but it still must rankle the veteran coach that the club’s fate was decided away from the field.

Ultimately, their finals chances went up in smoke long before they hit the turf at Rockhampton.

Tom Dearden finally had his first win as a Cowboy. Picture: NRL Images.

LIGHTWEIGHT DRAGON’S GIANT TASK TO KEEP FINALS DREAM ALIVE

St George Illawarra have turned to one of the lightest players in the NRL to solve their hooking crisis and keep their NRL finals dreams alive.

With the Dragons needing a miracle to make the top eight, coach Anthony Griffin has called on 80kg rookie Jayden Sullivan for a must-win clash with North Queensland.

Injuries to Cameron McInnes, Andrew McCullough and Ben Hunt forced Griffin to start former Cowboys utility Josh McGuire in the No.9 jumper in last week’s loss to the Sydney Roosters.

But Sullivan, 19, will deputise at hooker this week and will be giving up almost 40kg when he tries to take down the likes of 117kg monster Jason Taumalolo in the middle of the field.

It’s a tall order for Sullivan, a halfback by trade, but he impressed when he came off the bench against the Roosters.

“They picked him out a fair bit with (Jared) Waerea-Hargreaves and (Sio Suia) Taukeiaho, they’re big men but I thought he handled that really well and as the game went on he got a lot more confidence with his dummy half play,” Griffin said.

Jayden Sullivan in action for the Dragons. Picture: NRL Photos

“It’s the first time he’s had to do it under pressure. He exceeded my expectations and he might have surprised himself, playing 65 minutes. It was a pretty high standard game for long periods. The only way to take control of our situation is to win tomorrow. That’s what we’re focused on doing.”

Sullivan did well in attack against the Roosters, scoring his first NRL try and running for 64 metres, while making 27 tackles.

But the Western Suburbs Red Devils junior also missed eight tackles and will no doubt be heavily targeted by a Cowboys side desperate to snap their ten-match losing streak and restore a bit of pride.

Taumalolo in particular will be making a beeline for Sullivan every chance he gets, but the Dragons dummy half will have the likes of Josh McGuire to back him up as the Red V hope for a finals miracle.

Jason Taumalolo on the charge for the Cowboys. Picture: NRL Photos

McGuire will have a point to prove in his first clash with his former club after a mid-season move to St George Illawarra.

“I’ve had a chat to Josh. He had a couple of tips, as anyone would coming up against their old club, but he’s an experienced player Josh,” Griffin said.

“He’s been around ten years now and I don’t think in his mind the game holds any more weight than it would regardless of who we were playing.

“On the field it’s been patchy because of the suspensions. Off the field, and the way he’s worked with our forwards, he’s added something there you probably don’t see. I thought his game last week was one of his better performances.”

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Originally published as NRL 2021: Cowboys win 38-26 over Dragons | Match Report