This Friday's clash against Manly looms as a crunch game for St George Illawarra Dragons following their big loss to the Sydney Roosters earlier today.
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The Roosters scored nine tries to four in their convincing 54-26 win over the Dragons at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In the process they drew level on 18 points with the Dragons but overtook them in ninth-place on for and against.
Later on Saturday Manly jumped up to eighth spot after hammering Newcastle Knights 42-12 at Brookvale Oval.
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin wouldn't comment on whether his team missed an opportunity to get in the top eight.
He did however lament the Dragons' inability to contain Roosters big guns Joseph Manu and skipper James Tedesco.
Five-eighth Manu was a beast, scoring two tries and as many try-assists.
Tedesco also bagged two tries, while young halfback Sam Walker finished with 20 points after scoring a try and kicking eight goals.
"Roosters big players Manu and Tedesco were just too much for us today," Griffin said.
"We put ourselves in a good position at halftime and probably should have been in front by more but in the end they were just too good.
"We just didn't defend their big players at all....Manu dived over for tries twice from dummy half.
We just didn't defend their big players at all....Manu dived over for tries twice from dummy half.
- St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin
"If you are going to allow that against the Roosters, you will get punished."
The Dragons coach though praised his inspirational skipper Ben Hunt for dragging his side back into the contest after the Roosters raced to an early 12-0 lead in the first half.
First he scored a try then on the next set Hunt, backing up after his starring role helping Queensland win the Origin series, was at it again, kicking a 40/20 to put his side in a terrific attacking position.
From the resulting scrum win Hunt was involved again as Zac Lomax scored wide out. The centre converted his try to lock the scores at 12-12.
"It was an enormous effort for him to play, same as Tedesco today," Griffin said.
"That is why they are Origin players, both backed up and go hard for 80 minutes.
"I can't wrap [Hunt] enough, he is one of the best players in the game and one of the toughest players in the game. We just need to play better footy around him."
St George Illawarra led 14-12 at halftime.
But the Roosters outscored the Dragons 42-12 in the second half to secure their eighth win of the season.
Eighteen of those points came in the 10 minutes the Dragons were down to 12 men.
Just minutes after the Roosters scored to lead 18-14, St George Illawarra prop Aaron Woods was penalised and sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes for appearing to stop Sam Walker from regathering his own kick through close to the line.
By the time Woods returned to the field with 23 minutes to go, the Roosters had jumped out to a 32-20 lead.
Griffin said St George Illawarra didn't lose because of the sin-bin but felt his team was hard done by the decision to march Woods for 10.
"It's a big play to put somebody in the bin," he said.
"That's not the reason we lost but it is a big penalty to do that to a team.
That's not the reason we lost but it is a big penalty to do that to a team.
- St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin
"I didn't think it was a penalty...you are allowed to jostle on a kick aren't you?"
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
