Saturday has two NRL matches with the first game for Round 7 is between St George Illawarra Dragons and New Zealand Warriors with the opening kick to commence at 5.30pm. The game is to be played at WIN Jubilee Stadium with the favourite for the match being St George Illawarra Dragons. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between St George Illawarra Dragons and New Zealand Warriors.

WHERE AND WHEN: WIN Jubilee Stadium,  SATURDAY, April 19 5.30pm

Odds Comparison:

St George Illawarra Dragons	1.60	1.60	1.53	1.60	1.60	1.60
New Zealand Warriors	2.40	2.40	2.55	2.40	2.40	2.40

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

The Dragons started the season with three straight wins, including a 31 – 12 win over this weekend’s opponents the Warriors, but haven’t been able to build on that start in the past three weeks.

They’ll be backing up from a Monday night game against the Strom in Melbourne which, in a cloud of controversy, they lost 28 – 24 after the home-side scored a remarkable try after the siren – which according to the game-clock displayed on Fox Sports, was late to sound.

The Dragons scored first through Dylan Farrell and again just prior to half-time through Brett Morris, which gave the Dragons a deserved 12 – 10 lead at the break.

Former Storm pivot Gareth Widdop was again central to the Dragons performance and he looked set to steer the Dragons to a win over his former club when Trent Merrin scored off his grubber to make the score 24 – 10.

The Dragons held that margin until the final 15 minutes of the game but the Storm, as they have done so regularly this season, managed to produce three late tries to snatch victory.

It was a heart-breaking loss for the Dragons and the relative quick back up is something they’ll also have to overcome however, giving them confidence for this week’s game will be their domination over the Warriors.

The Warriors have beaten the Dragons only three times in seventeen games since 2001, losing the last eight in succession.

After Coach Matt Elliot left the club after their abysmal round 5 loss to Cronulla, the Warriors showed far more enthusiasm and commitment in last week’s match against the Bulldogs.

They led early into the second half but with little experience in winning games this year, couldn’t close out the game or shake off a persistent Bulldogs outfit who levelled the game with five minutes to go before Trent Hodkinson slotted a one-pointer, handing the Warriors a 21 – 20 defeat.

A similar performance this week will see them go close to breaking the hoodoo the Dragons have over them but consistency – especially away from home – has not been a Warriors strong point in recent years.

Teams:

St George Illawarra Dragons:
Josh Dugan, Brett Morris, Dylan Farrell, Gerard Beale, Jason Nightingale, Gareth Widdop, Michael Witt, Jack Stockwell, Mitch Rein, Dan Hunt, Joel Thompson, Ben Creagh (capt), Trent Merrin. Interchange: Bronson Harrison, Will Matthews, Mike Cooper, Leeson Ah Mau.

New Zealand Warriors:
Sam Tomkins, David Fusitua, Dane Nielsen, Ngani Laumape, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Jacob Lillyman, Dominique Peyroux, Jayson Bukuya, Simon Mannering (capt). Interchange: Siliva Havili, Suaia Matagi, Charlie Gubb, Ben Henry, Tuimoala Lolohea (one to be omitted).

News:

St George Illawarra fullback Josh Dugan admits he’s at least two or three games from hitting his best form following his return from a knee injury.

The former Canberra star is yet to be on the winning side since recovering from the medial ligament problem that sidelined him for the opening five rounds of the campaign.

Although the Dragons lost to South Sydney in Dugan’s first game back they were much improved in their controversial defeat to Melbourne last Monday.

Dugan struggled in the first half at AAMI Park and made a huge mistake that led to a Will Chambers try when he misjudged a bouncing ball.

But after halftime he showed in patches just why NSW coach Laurie Daley rates him so highly as the Dragons were cruelly denied a first win in the Victorian capital in 15 years when the Storm scored after the fulltime siren.

“The body is still a bit sore, which is to be expected, but it will get easier as time goes on,” Dugan said.

“It will probably take at least two weeks to get used to playing again and for the body to get used to not being sore.

“It’s very much a week by week thing. I am just doing the little things in my rehab to get right. But I feel I am getting back to my best.”

The Dragons must put their anger about the manner of their loss behind them for the visit of the Warriors to Kogarah Oval on Saturday.

The Auckland-based outfit have a roster dripping with attacking intent in the form of Shaun Johnson, Manu Vatuvei and Sam Tomkins.

However, they have had a less that stellar start to the season with coach Matt Elliott shown the door following a 37-6 humiliation by lowly Cronulla and his assistant Andrew McFadden handed the reins until the end of the season.

That result was one of four losses so far this year including a 31-12 defeat to the Dragons at Eden Park in round two.

Dragons New Zealand international winger Jason Nightingale is well aware of how good the Warriors can be and said with a Test match against Australia taking place next month he needs a big game.

“I don’t think that last game will have too much bearing on this one,” Nightingale said.

“I am sure they’ll be up for it with a new coach in place.”