The Good: Dragons Defy Odds in First Season Win
In the lead up to Sunday’s game at Suncorp, the TAB framed a market on St George Illawarra not winning a game this year. And punters jumped all over it.
TAB spokesman Adrian Bauk told Yahoo Sport Australia: “The Dragons ‘Team Next Win’ market has already attracted solid interest from NRL punters, especially the No Wins Through Round 27 option at $9. The next five weeks will be critical as the Dragons face a brutal run of away games, which could define their season.
“If they fail to secure a win during that tough road stretch, a winless season through to Round 27 starts to become a very stark reality.” Who’d be a punter?
That money has already disappeared as the Dragons pulled off the shock of the season, beating premiers Brisbane on their home turf. There won’t be a winless season and comparisons to the last club – the 1966 Roosters – to go through a year without a single victory have disappeared in a flash.
“It’s been a long time, so I’m stinging for a schooner,” captain Clint Gutherson said at fulltime in Brisbane. No doubt every Dragons fan in the country raised one with you, Gutho.
The Bad: Lachlan Galvin Relentlessly Booed
Another week, another round of booing. Lachlan Galvin copped it from the crowd again on the weekend as Canterbury took on his old side Wests Tigers and lost.
You’d think the abuse would have subsided a little by now, but no. The fans are into him wherever he goes – most of them from his own club. It makes you wonder if get gets booed while brushing his teeth in the morning or going to the local café for a flat white. It must feel like it’s 24-7 at times.
The kid, to his credit, seems to shake it off and get on with life and his footy. He’s been one of the Dogs’ most consistent players in an otherwise ordinary season to date.
Gorden Tallis, who was no stranger to copping it in the neck from fans, believes the anti-Galvin sentiment runs a bit deeper than just a player walking out on a club. He said: “It was the way it was sold to the rugby league community.
“He got bought as the saviour and the best kid that Phil Gould has ever seen. That’s what I think people are looking at. If you said ‘Oh, there’s a good young kid who maybe one day might play Origin’, it’d be a totally different story. But it’s not all Gus (who put a target on his back). He did a bit himself by doing that sit-down interview and saying I’m not getting developed (under Benji Marshall). He came across as a bit brash.”
The Ugly: Former Panthers Teammates Clash
The sporting gods have a way of punishing those who dare to bait the opposition before the contest is over. Warriors prop James Fisher-Harris is the latest to “goose” himself, getting in the grill of Penrith’s Paul Alamoti after the winger botched a high kick that led to a try to the Kiwis in Sunday’s thriller at CommBank.
He mockingly clapped Alamoti, which sparked a melee in the in-goal and led to the referee telling Fisher-Harris “this is on you” followed by an official call to both captains to cool it. It was a strange thing to do considering Alamoti is a former teammate and JFH is revered at Penrith after years of distinction and four straight premierships.
Even stranger is the fact Fisher-Harris is captain and there was still plenty of time left in what was a tight and see-sawing contest. And hey, what do you know? Shortly after the taunt, Alamoti was on the spot to score the try that ultimately won the Panthers the game. Stand-in skipper Dylan Edwards had no problem with the confrontation but admitted it did fire his side up. We can’t wait for the return bout in round 23.
