Opinion

DRAGONS BLOG: The end of era

I'm certain that the last loss of the season is harder to bear than any other.

For the bulk of the season, after a loss you're only a week away from another chance to win. But that's not the case with the final loss. Whether it comes in Round 26, the first week of the finals, or the second or the third, or even the grand final, that loss brings with it a sense of emptiness.

It's a feeling that there is no next week. That we have to now venture forth into that long barren period known as the off-season. We have to try and remember what it was we used to do on the weekends. And we have to learn how to look forward to something on the weekends other than seeing our team play.

PHOTO GALLERY: The agony and the ecstasy

That's where I find myself now after the Dragons' nailbiting loss to the Broncos. I'm certain that there are people out there who were just waiting for the Dragons to lose, so they could drag out the choker tag. Well I'm certain the Red V's effort against Brisbane will stop them dead. That was an amazing effort from the Dragons. With the amount of ball the Broncos had they would have had the game won by halftime.

Yet the home side was forced to opt for a field goal late in the first 40. In the second half, we still hung around and refused to go away, ending the game in regulation at 12-all and forcing the Broncos to extra time to beat us.

So yeah, losing sucks. But I can live with a loss like that. A loss where the team throws everything they have at their opponent and plays hard right to the end. If we had to lose in the finals, that's the way I'd choose to go out.

It's a loss the marks the end of an era. The end of the three years we had Wayne Bennett. He might have made a few curious decisions in recent weeks (while I never expected his visit to Newcastle this week to have any effect on the Dragons it was still a dumb thing to do) but the fact remains that he brought us our first premiership since 1979. That buys Bennett an enormous amount of leeway with me.

I'm not quite ready to think what a new coach will mean for St George Illawarra. I'm still trying to adjust to the idea of a lot of weekends in the near future where there are no Dragons games.

Posted By: Glen Humphries on 19/09/2011 8:06:00 AM | Comments (14)

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Yep, an empty feeling. But what a magnificent effort. That is the Dragons we have come to expect, and we can finish 2011 with hope of a new era starting in 2012.

Thanks to Wayne for everything he's put in place. I have great confidence in Steve Price as a coach and I can't wait to see his team next year.

PS. Justin Hodges is a thug!

Posted by Dr. Agony, 19/09/2011 8:27:57 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

Don't stress Glen, losing the grand final would have been a lot harder.

Posted by Markm, 19/09/2011 8:31:13 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

Glen- Bennys visit to newcastle had no affect on the dragons their performance was for me what I want to see I to can live with a loss like that although disapointed. The call for cuthberson nearly paid off. Next year our forwards will be more mature cant wait.

Posted by dennist, 19/09/2011 8:41:16 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

The loss brings up another major problem. I can't stand three of the teams that are left. Let's hope the Warriors pull off a miracle. About time the Kiwis had one.

Sure the Wayne Bennett circus does wonders for teams and makes them believe in themselves but the amount of time he spent organising things for next year at Newcastle can't have helped the Dragons concentration levels.

He was still contracted to the Dragons and it should have remained 24/7 not become part-time.

We might be surprised how well things go under Steve Price.

Posted by Toby, 19/09/2011 10:13:07 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

Losing a Grand Final - there is nothing worse in Rugby League and after 2010 that is one thing we didn’t have to endure this year. The Dragons did us proud, playing so far from home and the Bronco's on their second home final. For 2012 Steve Price has put some punch into the forwards with Cannonball Josh Miller and Latimore. Moltzen and Vidot will keep us with the best backline in the comp (again) and should ensure a win over the Raiders in 2012. More backup too if we get 9 picked for Origin again.

Posted by Chilla, 19/09/2011 11:03:52 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

lol Glen, "he brought us our first premiership since 1979".

That's a typo - should read 1999 but then again it was the first stmerge premiership, albeit a Claytons.

Posted by The Judge, 19/09/2011 3:23:57 PM, on Illawarra Mercury

Chokers always will be & thats it, & if Hodges didnt tackle Morris it should have been a penalty for a voluntary tackle, Good job sucked in I hope it's another 30 years between drinks - ohh hang on you merged so the others dont count.

Posted by steevo-k, 20/09/2011 7:21:16 AM, on Illawarra Mercury

The big feeling of sadness this year is that it was a season of lost opportunity. They were in the box seat all year but couldn't maintain the high standard.

Even still, similar to our game against the Tigers last year I felt the Broncos game would be our real "grand final", in that if we got through it we would win the comp again. But it wasn't to be.

A final thanks to all the folks who take time out of their day to call us chokers. It is nice to know we still rate a mention in your minds (I can assure you, we don't care about your clubs at all).

Posted by Eddo, 20/09/2011 12:44:08 PM, on Illawarra Mercury

I have to laugh at these Dragons haters, still living in denial that the Dragons won the comp last year, if you support any other team they either were not good enough, or cheated. Pretty simple really. Dragons could only beat the teams put in front of them and they did it comfortably. But that was last season, still a more recent GF win that ANY other team (for the now).

No doubt the Judge will be chomping at the bit to repeat himself (again), but the records show 2010 St George Illawarra Premiers. That is a fact, any other "opinion", is only that, subjective and irrelevant, just like Judge

Posted by Freddy, 20/09/2011 12:59:23 PM, on Illawarra Mercury

I'm glad the Bennett reign is over , I loved it but it was always going to end. Better now than in 3 more years... Steve has time to build on the halo of bennett. I believe Steve is the long term answer! Dragons will miss Wayne but when Steve leads the boys to a title in thenext 3 years we will all be saying wayne who...

Posted by Mitch, 20/09/2011 2:14:48 PM, on Illawarra Mercury

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