RUGBY LEAGUE
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Veteran rake Heath L'Estrange is looming as the unlikely key needed to unlock the Dragons' scoring potential as they desperately search for points.
L'Estrange made his debut in the Red V on Monday night when St George Illawarra went down 22-4 to Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.
He came off the bench but ended up spending more time on the park than starting hooker Mitch Rein.
L'Estrange played 41 minutes of the game and set up the Dragons' only try for the night.
They were trailing 20-0 in the 38th minute when L'Estrange darted out of dummy half, ran to the defensive line and offloaded out the back to five-eighth Gareth Widdop, who handed it off to Peter Mata'utia then to Dane Nielsen, who planted the ball over the line.
It was one of just two tries the Dragons have scored in the opening two rounds.
L'Estrange was picked up by the Dragons after playing just five first grade games with the Roosters in 2014, and has had to compete with Rein and fellow recruit Kris Keating for the No 9 jersey.
He has been named on an extended bench for Saturday's trip to Canberra but says he has no idea how coach Paul McGregor plans on using him.
"We got told what we were doing last week but I'm not sure what the team is going to be like this week," L'Estrange said.
"He was going to make some changes so I think a few people are shaking, we'll see what happens."
St George Illawarra are wallowing towards the bottom of the NRL ladder and need to beat the Raiders to avoid going 0-3 to start the year.
Their attack has been criticised and halves partners Benji Marshall and Widdop have failed to click.
Adding to their woes areinjuries to star fullback Josh Dugan and captain Ben Creagh.
History suggests they will need to win one of their next two games to remain in the hunt for a top-eight spot later in the year.
But inside the camp it's not as bad as it seems.
"There's no panic, we're not panicking, we just need to score a few points and we're right," L'Estrange said. "Against Melbourne [a 12-4 defeat] - arguably the best side from the last 10 years - we kept them to just 12 points.
"Then we had a bad 40 minutes against the Tigers and everyone's up in arms.
"If we play the way we train, I think we'll get it."
The Red V broke a 14-year hoodoo in Canberra last season and need to repeat that result to stay off the bottom of the ladder.