Within the four walls at the Dragons, this match was branded round one.
It was dubbed a chance for a fresh start under a new coach, interim Dean Young, after a bye round.
“I’ve changed everything,” Young said in his pre-game interview with Fox Sports before his charges took on Newcastle.
There’s a new-look team, albeit many of the changes are injury-enforced. New (longer) working hours. A new headquarters. And a new voice attempting to elicit a response from the NRL’s only winless team.
Just about everything is different now at St George Illawarra. Except the result.
Once they ran onto the field, against a Kalyn Ponga-inspired Newcastle, it was more of the same. A winless start to the season has now extended into May, stretching their sequence to 13 straight losses since last season.
Unlike Manly, a change of coach hasn’t led to a change of fortunes.
Young oversaw only two training sessions before his side’s Anzac Day capitulation to the Roosters. This time he had the team for five, but there was little discernible improvement.
The game was well and truly over at half-time, by which time the scoreline had blown out to 32-0. As the dejected Dragons made their way into the sheds, pockets of the WIN Stadium crowd booed their displeasure. There were fewer fans voicing their displeasure at full-time, perhaps because a large portion headed to the exits early.
This was always going to be a tough ask for the hosts. The absence of Daniel Atkinson, ruled out with a fractured hand, left them with two 20-year-old halves. This was only Kade Reed’s second match, so expectations need to be tempered. It will take time to form combinations, as evidenced by the two hospital passes he threw to back-rower Hamish Stewart.
Ponga and Dylan Brown are on combined annual income of around $2.7 million. At present, they are providing Newcastle with bang for their buck. It’s unfair to expect the likes of Reed and halves partner Lyhkan King-Togia, on a small fraction of that amount, to be getting the job done so early in their careers.
A combination of inexperienced halves, Moses Suli’s absence, Clint Gutherson returning out of position in the centres and a white-hot Knights outfit, and it was only going to end one way.
More changes are coming for the likely wooden spooners, in the form of Damien Cook’s departure and the arrivals of Keaon Koloamatangi and Scott Drinkwater. None of that is going to help Young anytime soon. As it stands, he simply doesn’t have the cattle.
Were the Knights that good or were the Dragons that bad? It’s hard to tell.
Due credit must go to the Novocastrians. Greg Marzhew, equal parts speed and menace, crossed for five tries. The Knights winger trails only Penrith trysneak Tom Jenkins for the most four-pointers this year.
While Valentine Holmes was playing himself out of a Maroons jersey, Bradman Best was potentially playing himself into a Blue one. With Latrell Mitchell in Origin doubt with a back problem, Best showed he’s ready if required.
Ponga was his side’s best after a triumphant return against South Sydney and he cranked it up another notch here. One minute he was producing an audacious flick pass, which hit Dane Gagai to set up one of Dom Young’s two tries. The next he was slicing through defenders, leaving Kade Reed and Gutherson clutching at his shadow. Billy Slater’s Origin selection headaches are welcome ones.
The Dragons showed some ticker, only losing the second half 12-10, but their improvement after the break was too little, too late. Things will likely get worse before they get better. Next week they meet Penrith in Magic Round.
