The improving Dragons took another big step forward last Monday night with a comprehensive 24 – 12 win over a near full strength Melbourne Storm side.
It was the Dragons third win in a row and fourth from their past five clashes. The improvement coincides with Benji Marshall’s returning to the NRL and his formation of a strong partnership with halves partner Gareth Widdop.
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The Dragons ran in five tries to the Storm’s two and could’ve won by more had Widdop converted more than two of his five shots on goal.
The win has the Dragons on sixteen competition points with the Titans and their opponents here the Cowboys.
With the struggling Titans, minus their Origin players, facing off against the Rabbitohs, there’s a real chance here for the Dragons to place themselves right in the middle of the group hunting for a finals berth.
Josh Duggan, who has scored five tries in his past three outings for the Dragons, will unfortunately be missing for the home-side this week but returning to the squad are Dan Hunt and Dylan Farrell.
The Dragons are building momentum at the right time of year and have turned a one forlorn looking season around in the past month.
COWBOYS
It the Cowboys were able to replicate their form away from their home ground, their spot in this year’s finals will have already been assured.
After losing to the then last-placed Knights in Newcastle in round 15, the eighth loss on the road from as many games this season, the Cowboys returned home last week to face South Sydney.
It must be something in the Townsville water because the Cowboys turned around an average performance in the space of five days to defeat the much more fancied rivals 20 – 18.
Unfortunately though, this game is in Sydney where they just don’t win – especially without Johnathan Thurston, who along with James Tamou, will be on Origin duty.
Maybe they should bottle the Townsville water and bring it with them – if they haven’t already tried that remedy to their abysmal away form.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Dragons have lost their last three matches against the Cowboys, two of which surprisingly, have been played at Win Stadium.
In each of those games though Johnathan Thurston has started and played a significant role in his sides’ victory.
Last time they played away and without Thurston the struggling Canberra Raiders defeated them, recording only their fourth win of the season.
The Dragons are travelling much better than the Raiders and the away game/no Thurston combo is too great to ignore.
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Teams:
DRAGONS: Adam Quinlan, Charly Runciman, Peter Mata’utia, Gerard Beale, Jason Nightingale, Gareth Widdop, Benji Marshall, Ben Creagh, Mitch Rein, Michael Cooper, Leeson Ah Mau, Joel Thompson, Jack de Belin. Interchange: Bronson Harrison, Shane Pumipi, Will Matthews, Dylan Farrell, Jack Stockwell, Dan Hunt.
COWBOYS: Matthew Wright, Curtis Rona, Tautau Moga, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Robert Lui, Michael Morgan (vc), Scott Bolton, Rory Kostjasyn, Ashton Sims (c), Tariq Sims, Jason Taumalolo, Glenn Hall. Interchange: Anthony Mitchell, Ethan Lowe, John Asiata, Sam Hoare, Ben Spina.
