ST GEORGE Illawarra’s forwards are on a mission to provide the platform for off-contract playmaker Gareth Widdop to find career-best form.
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The English international became the focal point of the Dragons stuttering attack last year, unfairly according to teammate Joel Thompson.
After the stunning 42-10 demolition of Penrith at Kogarah on Saturday, Thompson declared the NRL will see Widdop firing this season.
“Poor Gaz, he takes a fair bit of the criticism, which is unfair on him a lot,” Thompson said on Tuesday.
“We all need to have to take (last year) on the chin, we all put our hand up and rip in.
“Gaz had a great game, he’s worked really hard and we look forward to him performing like that, week in, week out.”
Widdop’s two-try effort was only overshadowed by Thompson’s personal haul of three, including a first-half double.
It means the Indigenous All Stars back-rower has already matches his try-scoring haul from each of the past three seasons. Admitting the upset victory over the highly-fancied Panthers was fuelled by being written off in the pre-season, Thompson knows the Dragons must maintain the standard against Parramatta at WIN Stadium on Sunday.
“We had the belief here, everyone was writing us off,” he said. “Everywhere you looked, everyone had us at the bottom of the table.
“But we know what we have here as a group and the quality of players we have here.
“So we need to create that belief and put in performances like that. We need to build from last week.”
With Broncos playmaker Ben Hunt signed on a multi-million dollar, five-year deal to join the Dragons, Widdop’s future in Wollongong is in doubt.
He remains in negotiations with Dragons officials, amid a possible return to England at the end of the year.
Thompson said he was unsure about Josh Dugan’s intentions to stay at the Dragons beyond this season.
Dugan is also off contract, with the fullback considering a new three-year deal to stay at the Dragons. However, it is expected the contract would come with a direction to make a career shift to the centres, after a failed moved to make the switch last year when Kurt Mann started the season at fullback.
“I’m not too sure, he keeps it all pretty close to himself,” Thompson said of Dugan’s future.
“He’ll decide what’s best for him going forward and whatever he does, we back him 100 per cent.
“He’s a high quality player, a world-class player and we want him to do that, week in and week out.”
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
