A New Beginning for the St George Illawarra Dragons
After a long wait of 295 days, the St George Illawarra Dragons finally secured their first victory of the season. In a thrilling match against the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday afternoon, the Dragons emerged victorious with a score of 30-26. This marked the third consecutive game between the two teams that ended with the same scoreline, highlighting the intense rivalry and competitive nature of the contest.
The win came under the guidance of interim coach Trent Young, who took over from Jason Flanagan earlier in the season. With the season now reaching its halfway mark, Young has been instrumental in steering the club towards success. His leadership has not only brought a win but also instilled a renewed sense of hope among the players and fans alike.
During an appearance on Nine’s 100% Footy, Young addressed questions about his potential future as the full-time coach of the Dragons. When asked if there were any discussions about taking the role permanently, he confirmed that no such talks had taken place yet. The Bulldogs’ General Manager pressed Young on the negotiation process and transparency regarding the club’s coaching future.
Young acknowledged that the players have raised concerns about who will be the coach beyond 2027. “Yeah, they do, and I’ve been involved in a lot of the meetings with players,” he said. He emphasized his relationships with key players such as Scott Drinkwater, Keaon O’Reilly, and Luke Metcalf, explaining the style of play he envisions for the team in the coming seasons.
Strategic Decisions and Team Rebuilding
Since becoming the interim coach, Young has made several significant decisions to reshape the team. He has sacked experienced players like Michael Ennis and replaced the coaching staff with new assistants. Additionally, he has brought in young talents such as Kade Reed, who was set to make an impact before suffering a ruptured tendon in his finger during the match against the Newcastle Knights in Round 10. This injury forced Reed into surgery and sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Young, who previously served as the Dragons’ interim coach in 2020, explained the rationale behind these changes. “When I first took over, I wasn’t really happy with the way things were going. I thought we needed to make some change, so I gave an opportunity to young Kade Reed, and unfortunately, he hurt his finger; and Lykian got an opportunity against Newcastle but didn’t take that opportunity,” he said.
He continued, “So I went back to Kyle (Flanagan) and Atko (Daniel Atkinson) and I thought we did a good job against Penrith, we played straight and stuck to the game plan … the next week against the Warriors, although we fought hard, I was really disappointed with the way we performed, and we didn’t stick to the way we wanted to play, and we spoke about that and had a plan for the Broncos and stuck to it.”
Focus on Fundamentals and Player Attitude
Young emphasized the importance of returning to basics and focusing on fundamentals. “When I first took over, we stripped everything back and got back to the basics and tried to nail the fundamentals,” he said. He expressed his gratitude to the players for their commitment despite the challenges faced this season.
“To lose as many games as we have on the trot and keep turning up to training with a good attitude, keep fighting in game and keep believing in the messages that I’m giving them is really pleasing,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Dragons will aim for their second win of the season when they face the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday afternoon. With Young at the helm, the team is hopeful for a strong performance and a positive turn around in their campaign.
