Dragons show they’re up for the fight, if not the premiership

They might not win the competition, but Shane Flanagan’s St George Illawarra have shown steel to make their army of supporters in Las Vegas proud.

The Dragons were given little chance against Cameron Ciraldo’s highly fancied Canterbury in the round one headliner at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

The way they took their Sydney rivals to the wire in a golden-point thriller should provide them with plenty of heart once they recover from the heartbreak.

After losing a host of tight matches last season, another nail-biting defeat to begin the new campaign will sting.

However, a courageous performance from Flanagan’s men gave them plenty to take away from Las Vegas beyond a night or two out on the Strip and a week of memories.

On the back foot for much of the night, they were unyielding, frustrating Canterbury with dogged defence and staying alive with ad-lib attack on the occasions they were on the offensive.

It was a display characteristic of Flanagan-coached teams at their best, compensating for their limitations with industry and intensity.

The task for the Dragons will be doing it consistently, but it was a promising start.

“We’ve got a good football team,” Flanagan said. “Our club is on the way up, we’re ready go, and we’re going to compete this year.

“We’re going to be better next year and better the year after. We’re a big club and we’re on the improve, so look out. Jump on board, or get off.”

New Dragons halfback Daniel Atkinson was solid rather than spectacular in his first appearance for the club since his move from Cronulla.

It was also a night to remember for mature-age debutant Setu Tu, with the 27-year-old winger crossing for a late four-pointer that set up a compelling climax.

“I didn’t want to put too much pressure on him,” Flanagan said of Atkinson. “He hasn’t played a lot of games at halfback in the NRL and for 80 minutes, that’s for sure.

“I thought he did a good job. His kicking was great, he competed really hard and he’ll get better week in and week out.”

Flanagan had his contract extended in August, securing his position at the Dragons until at least the end of 2028.

If that was a vote of confidence in the 60-year-old’s long-term vision for the joint-venture club, the forecast has been for choppy waters in the immediate future.

A depleted St George Illawarra won only one of their final five games last year following the coach’s re-signing and conceded 40 points in each of the last three.

Forgettable pre-season trial form reduced expectations further and even Flanagan himself was careful not to set the bar too high, at least publicly, with an attention-grabbing prediction in the days before the first-round blockbuster.

Acknowledging his team wouldn’t be premiership contenders this year was honest but unorthodox and risked blowing up in his face if the Dragons were thrashed in their first outing of the season.

“In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have said it,” Flanagan said. “But if I say we’re going to win the comp, there is going to be as much criticism, probably more.”

It didn’t matter in the end, with the Dragons playing like anything but no hopers.

With stubbornness on their goal line, they crowded the Lachie Galvin-led Bulldogs for much of the first half, trailing by only two points at the break.

Aside from a new trick from old dog Damien Cook, rolling a kick into the in-goal for front-rower Emre Guler to score, it wasn’t pretty, but Flanagan won’t have cared.

What wouldn’t have pleased him were a series of mistakes and penalties that loosened the Dragons’ early grip on proceedings.

St George Illawarra’s spirit was personified by Toby and Ryan Couchman’s wild celebration after thumping Sitili Tupouniua close to his line and busting the ball free. The only problem was that Toby had struck the former Roosters forward high.

The Dragons shot themselves in the foot after half-time, with Bulldogs talisman Stephen Crichton seizing on another error to extend Canterbury’s lead to six with a delicious flick to winger Jacob Kiraz to cross in the corner.

Barely sighted near the Bulldogs try line for the first hour, the Dragons seemed destined to tire, but refused to fold.

Tu closed the gap with 22 minutes remaining, capitalising on a fine offload from Jaydn Su’A and an even better tap-on from Clint Gutherson.

A Kyle Flanagan penalty goal with six minutes left brought the Dragons level, and their fans began to believe.

Unfortunately, for them, it wasn’t to be.