Only four games deep into her NRLW career, Tyla Nathan-Wong is trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible from her experienced St George Illawarra halves partner Raecene McGregor.
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Nathan-Wong is confident the more the playmakers play together the better they and the Dragons will perform.
St George Illawarra have won only one game heading into their round five clash against the Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium next Saturday afternoon.
The Dragons though showed some good form in the second-half of their last-start 19-18 loss to the Canberra Raiders.
Nathan-Wong said it was important the Dragons started better against the Tigers.
"It was a tough pill to swallow. We didn't start the greatest in that first half but then came back and showed some real resilience and grind and work ethic in that second half to claw back to the 18 points," she said.
"It was just a few little moments through the entirety of the game that ended up compounding and letting us down but still proud of the girls' effort to come so close to a Raiders team that was on form, having beaten the Roosters the week before.
"I think we can take some really good stuff out of that.
"But next focus now, we can't dwell on that, it's all about the Tigers now.
"They're a new side but they have some experienced players there and have shown some good form so we know they're going to bring it this weekend."
Personally, Nathan-Wong said she was learning all the time and enjoying building up her partnership with captain McGregor.
"Ray is a pretty incredible player as we've seen throughout her time playing in the NRLW. I'm enjoying playing with her," she said.
"We're continuing to build on our partnership. I'm only four games deep into my own playing career here in the NRLW and she's a wealth of knowledge. So I just got to continue to build on that relationship with her.
"And the best way to do that is talking to each other on and off the field as well as being very talkative on the field and communicating exactly what we want from each other.
"I know we'll see that this weekend."
Nathan-Wong welcomed news the Dragons had re-signed head coach Jamie Soward for two more years.
"It's a big deal for us, he is an incredible coach, he has such passion about the women's space and women's game in general, so to be able to see him be able to secure his time here for the next two years, I think the women's program is in a good space," she said.
The former Black Ferns Rugby Sevens star said she was enjoying her new environment and the experience of playing with different players and being coached by someone new.
"Jamie, you know, he's straight to the point, you know exactly where you stand. And I love his passion for the game," Nathan-Wong said.
"One of the most important things for me is being able to embrace your culture and who you are because at the end of the day, that's who you are at your core.
"And I feel this environment does exactly that and it helps when you've got a man such as Jamie at the helm. He is a proud indigenous man himself who's able to embrace all the different cultures that come through the door."
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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.
