2010 St. George Illawarra Dragons season

The 2010 St. George Illawarra Dragons season was the 12th in the joint venture club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2010 Telstra Premiership, securing their second successive minor premiership. The Dragons went on to compete in the 2010 NRL Grand Final, defeating the Sydney Roosters to gain the club's first premiership since their formation as a joint venture club in 1999.

2010 St. George Illawarra Dragons season
NRL champions
NRL Rank1st
2010 recordWins: 22; Draws: 1; Losses: 7
Points scoredFor: 591; Against: 319
Team information
CEO Peter Doust
Coach Wayne Bennett
Assistant coach Steve Price
Captain
StadiumWIN Jubilee Oval WIN Stadium
Top scorers
TriesBrett Morris (20)
GoalsJamie Soward (84)
PointsJamie Soward (197)
< 2009 2011 >

Season summary

Restarting their ambitions of a maiden Premiership, the Dragons began the 2010 season without dual international Wendell Sailor after the winger announced his retirement during the pre-season.[1] The Dragons had been competition favourites since day one of the 2010 season, and for all but three rounds of the entire regular season were on top of the ladder (the Sydney Roosters were on top after rounds 1 and 2 and the Melbourne Storm were on top after round 4, when they defeated the Dragons 17-4).

In the regular season of 2010, the Dragons lost only seven matches, against Melbourne in round 4, Manly in round 9, Canberra in rounds 11 and 24, Penrith in round 17, the Gold Coast in extra time in round 20 and Brisbane in round 21. The Dragons built their season on defence and when they finished the regular season, they became only the 2nd team in the NRL to concede less than 300 points in a season. 299 points were scored against them at an average of 12.4 points per game. The St George Illawarra Dragons headed into the week one of the finals and had a great victory against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles winning 28 - 0. After the week off the St George Illawarra Dragons faced the Wests Tigers in the preliminary final and won 13 - 12. The Dragons then faced the Sydney Roosters in the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final and despite trailing 6–8 at halftime they scored 26 unanswered points in a wet second half to win 32-8 and secure the first NRL Premiership for the joint venture.

A major coup for the club was the re-signing of former captain and star centre Mark Gasnier following his stint in French rugby union.

Pre-season
DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreAttendanceReport
14 FebruaryTrial Parramatta EelsMembers Equity Stadium, Perth34 – 209,450
20 FebruaryMercury Challenge Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsWIN Stadium, Wollongong16 – 14
27 FebruaryCharity Shield South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium, Sydney26 – 2627,221
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Regular season
DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreAttendanceReport
12 March1 Parramatta EelsParramatta Stadium, Parramatta18 – 1218,293
19 March2 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsWIN Stadium, Wollongong26 – 616,177
26 March3 North Queensland CowboysWIN Stadium, Wollongong33 – 813,267
2 April4 Melbourne StormEtihad Stadium, Melbourne4 – 1725,480
9 April5 Brisbane BroncosWIN Stadium, Wollongong34 – 1615,374
16 April6 Gold Coast TitansSkilled Park, Gold Coast19 – 621,336
25 April7 Sydney RoostersSydney Football Stadium, Sydney28 – 636,212
1 May8 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksWIN Stadium, Wollongong38 – 015,779
8 May9 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval, Manly6 – 2416,745
14 May10 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsANZ Stadium, Sydney19 – 637,773
23 May11 Canberra RaidersWIN Stadium, Wollongong14 – 2214,728
28 May12 Parramatta EelsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah30 – 015,068
6 June13 New Zealand WarriorsMount Smart Stadium, Auckland22 – 208,312
14
20 June15 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksToyota Stadium, Cronulla22 – 416,773
25 June16 Wests TigersWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah34 – 1016,574
5 July17 Penrith PanthersWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah8 – 1212,974
18
16 July19 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium, Sydney16 – 1322,368
23 July20 Gold Coast TitansWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah10 – 1112,688
1 August21 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane6 – 1042,269
8 August22 Sydney RoostersSydney Cricket Ground, Sydney19 – 1237,994
16 August23 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah32 – 1014,740
22 August24 Canberra RaidersCanberra Stadium, Canberra16 – 3220,445
28 August25 Newcastle KnightsEnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle26 – 1823,148
5 September26 South Sydney RabbitohsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah38 – 2418,274
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Finals
DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreAttendanceReport
12 SeptemberQualifying Final Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah28 – 015,574
25 SeptemberPreliminary Final Wests TigersANZ Stadium, Sydney13 – 1271,212
3 OctoberGrand Final Sydney RoostersANZ Stadium, Sydney32 – 882,334
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

2010 NRL Ladder
Pos. Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 St. George Illawarra Dragons (P) 2417072518299+21938
2 Penrith Panthers 2415092645489+15634
3 Wests Tigers 2415092537503+3434
4 Gold Coast Titans 2415092520498+2234
5 New Zealand Warriors 24140102539486+5332
6 Sydney Roosters 24140102559510+4932
7 Canberra Raiders 24130112499493+630
8 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 24120122545510+3528
9 South Sydney Rabbitohs 24110132584567+1726
10 Brisbane Broncos 24110132508535−2726
11 Newcastle Knights 24100142499569−7024
12 Parramatta Eels 24100142413491−7824
13 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2490152494539−4522
14 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2470172354609−25518
15 North Queensland Cowboys 2450192425667−24214
16 Melbourne Storm 24140102489363+12601

1 Melbourne were deducted eight premiership points and barred from receiving premiership points for the rest of the season due to gross long-term salary cap breaches.[2]

Squad
No. Position Player
1 FB Darius Boyd
2 WG Brett Morris
3 CE Matt Cooper
4 CE Mark Gasnier
5 WG Jason Nightingale
6 FE Jamie Soward (GK)
7 HB Ben Hornby (captain)
8 PR Dan Hunt
9 HK Dean Young (VC)
10 PR Michael Weyman
11 SR Beau Scott
12 SR Ben Creagh
13 LK Jeremy Smith
No. Position Player
HK Nathan Fien
SR Neville Costigan
SR Matt Prior
SR Jarrod Saffy
PR Trent Merrin
PR Michael Greenfield
CE Nick Emmett
HK Luke Priddis
PR Jon Green
FE Kyle Stanley
PR Ricky Thorby
WG Peni Tagive
WG Michael Lett

*VC - Vice Captain *GK - Goal Kicker

Transfers

Gains

PlayerGained From
Michael GreenfieldSouth Sydney Rabbitohs
Peni TagiveWests Tigers
Junior PauloParramatta Eels
Mark GasnierStade Français

Losses

PlayerLost To
Mickey PaeaCanterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Justin PooreParramatta Eels
Wendell SailorRetirement
Chase StanleyMelbourne Storm
Dean WhareManly-Warringah Sea Eagles

References
  1. Warren, Adrian (12 November 2009). "Wendell Sailor announces his retirement from rugby league". Fox Sports. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  2. Stuart Honeysett and Brent Read (23 April 2010) Shocking end to the Melbourne Storm era The Australian
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