Anzac day Game 1 preview: The Dragons made it ten straight wins over the Warriors last Saturday 20 – 10, registering their fourth win of the season which now sees them in sixth spot on the ladder.

When and where: Friday, Apr 25, Allianz Stadium, NINE, 4:00pm

The Dragons, who were on the quick back-up from a controversial and heart-breaking loss to the Storm on the Monday night, were slow out of the blocks and it took a penalty goal by them in the 20^th minute to open the scoring.

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A spectacular Jason Nightingale try in the 33^rd minute – his fourth try of the season, followed by another to Mike Cooper on the strike of half-time, gave the Dragons a 12 – 0 lead at the break.

The Warriors struck back in the second half with two tries of their own to get within four points of the Dragons (14 – 10) but a try to Dragons Fullback Josh Duggan in the 68^th minute, was enough to the see the Dragons home.The game in general was a scrappy affair having but having lost three matches on the trot leading into last week’s game, how the result was achieved for the Dragons was irrelevant.

They’ll have a full week to prepare for this round’s match and the last week’s win should help put the tough Storm result behind them.

Like the Dragons, the Roosters headed into their clash against the Sharks last week having lost three games in which they had produced a combined total of only 20 points.

For the sixth time this year the Roosters allowed their opponents to score first but did answer with two first half tries to second-rower Boyd Cornder and Five-eighth James Maloney allowing the Roosters to pinch a slender half time break.

The Sharks scored early in the second half and in a tenacious effort, pushed the Roosters, who have been struggling to deliver the knock-out punch in their games this year, all the way to inside the final ten minutes of the match when Rooster’s centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall for his second try to seal the match 24 – 18.

It wasn’t the Roosters at their best and again, points didn’t come easily for the defending premiers but they needed the win and after close losses to Canterbury, Manly and Parramatta, and will be relieved to have registered their third win of the season.

The Roosters’ three wins have coincided with the only three times they have registered more than twenty points in a game. The Dragons have offered up an average 21 points per game.

The Roosters have won their last three clashes comfortably against the Dragons including this match last year 34 – 10, their first Anzac Day victory in seven years. Importantly too, they’ve also been able to keep the Dragons to 10 points or less three of the last four times the two sides have met.

This will be a tight clash with defence they key, on this front the Roosters have the edge and whilst they may not win by the margin the current market suggests they would, they should be able to hold the Dragons by enough to record their second consecutive Anzac Day match.

TIP: ROOSTERS 1 – 12.

Odds Comparison:

St George Illawarra Dragons	2.75	2.85	2.85	2.85	2.75	2.95
Sydney Roosters	1.47	1.45	1.44	1.45	1.47	1.42

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

Teams:

St George Illawarra Dragons:
Josh Dugan, Brett Morris, Nathan Green, Gerard Beale, Jason Nightingale, Gareth Widdop, Michael Witt, Jack Stockwell, Mitch Rein, Dan Hunt, Joel Thompson, Ben Creagh, Trent Merrin. Interchange: Bronson Harrison, Tyson Frizell, Michael Cooper, Leeson Ah Mau, Jack de Belin
Ins: Dan Hunt, Joel Thompson
Outs: None
Other unavailables: Dylan Farrell (pectoral, indefinite)

Sydney Roosters:
Anthony Minichiello, Daniel Tupou, Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Sam Moa, Boyd Cordner, Sonny Bill Williams, Aidan Guerra. Interchange: Frank Paul Nuuausala, Mitchell Aubusson, Isaac Liu, Dylan Napa, Daniel Mortimer
Ins: Daniel Tupou
Outs: None