Dragons soar to top of NRL competition

The St. George Illawarra Dragons have climbed to the top of the NRL ladder with a 42-6 victory over the Cronulla Sharks at Jubilee Oval as 18,011 watched the local derby.

Gareth Widdop led the Dragons to their victory as his kicking and passing game troubled the struggling Sharks all game.

The Dragons played a conservative game taking penalty goals when on offer. Gareth Widdop took first points at the 5th minute with a successful penalty goal, Dragons 2-0.

Valentine Holmes the only shining light for the Sharks as he posted their own try at the 9th minute. Cronulla took the lead 6-2.

The Dragons clicked into gear and the powers began to flow as Josh Dugan and Mitch Rein struck Red V points with a solo darts through the line. The home side took an 14-6 lead into the sheds, well on top of the Sharks.

The second half saw more points for the Dragons as they ran in four unanswered tries. Will Matthews, Jack de Belin, Peter Mata'utia and Eto Nabuli all crossed through a crumbling Sharks defensive line in the second half.

Gareth Widdop sealed victory as he slotted an 80th minute penalty goal. They now climb to the top of the NRL competition with their flogging of the Sharks.

Next week the Dragons travel to ANZ Stadium as they face the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile the Sharks will return home with their tails between their fins to host the Sydney Roosters in Sunday afternoon football.

Match Details

St. George Illawarra Dragons 42 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6
Venue: Jubilee Oval
Crowd: 18011
Halftime Score: St. George Illawarra Dragons 14 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6

ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (42)
Tries: Josh Dugan, Mitch Rein, Will Matthews, Jack de Belin, Peter Mata'utia, Eto Nabuli
Conversions: Gareth Widdop (5/5), Eto Nabuli (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Gareth Widdop (3/3)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (6)
Tries: Valentine Holmes
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Gareth Widdop
2 points - Josh Dugan
1 point - Benji Marshall

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to LeagueUnlimited's LIVE coverage of the local derby between the Dragons and Sharks from Jubilee Oval in Kogarah.

It will be a highly defensive game as the Dragons are the best defensive team in season 2015, with just 12 points on average conceded.

LATE MAIL for both teams can be found here

Here come the teams, the visiting Cronulla Sharks out onto Jubilee Oval first. This is the first local derby at this venue since 2011, an interesting clash on the cards this afternoon

1: We are UNDERWAY as Valentine Holmes kicks off for the Cronulla Sharks

1: First set completed by the Dragons, Josh Dugan rushed a last tackle kick straight to Ben Barba to begins the Sharks first set 10 metres short of half way

2: First penalty of the game to the Dragons, Lewis holding the ruck too long for the referees liking. Dragons kick for line and attack on half way

4: Back to back penalties for the Dragons, hand in the ruck the call. Widdop overruled and forced to take the penalty goal on offer

5: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Penalty goal attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop gets the call from the bench and slots the gift two points with the penalty goal.

6: VIDEO REFEREE for the #RedV! Devcich says TRY for Eto Nabuli...

6: RED LIGHTS for Eto, ruled to have knocked on the Gareth Widdop grubber kick through the line. Moving too fast to get grounding on the bouncing ball. 20 metre restart for the Sharks.

9: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Valentine Holmes. Kick to come.
Jack Bird with a visionary kick places it for Valentine Holmes who sails through the Dragons line to pick up the first try of the game

11: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Valentine Holmes successful.
Michael Gordon slots the conversion attempt and the Sharks make it a 4 point lead

14: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Andrew Fifita makes an unforced error.
Andrew Fifita with a quick ball play attempt and fumbles it. Can't milk the penalty, so it's a scrum for the Dragons down in their own end

16: Penalty to the Dragons. Crowding in the ruck from Matt Prior and Luke Lewis. Dragons attack 20 metres out from the line

17: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Josh Dugan. Kick to come.
Josh Dugan has powered through the Sharks line defence and reached over for the Dragons first four-pointer. It follows a sideways dance from Benji Marshall who could have scored himself with a charge to the line.

18: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop plots the extras over the black dot from in front to give the Dragons the lead again

19: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Trent Merrin makes an unforced error.
Trent Merrin fumbles the ball… but replay shows Fifita stripping it in a 3-man tackle. Scrum packs however for the Sharks just on half way

21: Penalty for offside the call, Sharks attacking 10 metres out from the Dragons try line

22: Michael Ennis' kick is too long on last tackle. Bukuya can't reach for the bouncing points. 20 metre tap for the Dragons

27: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Josh Dugan trying to run and collect a bouncing ball from a short Ennis' kick. Scrum for the Sharks, 10 metres out

28: Penalty to the Sharks, back to the 10 metre line for a full set.

30: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Sam Tagataese makes an unforced error.
Sam Tagataese fumbles into the tackle and it's a scrum for the Dragons at their 10 metre line.

32: Penalty to the Dragons. Sam Tagataese ruled offside. Dragons on halfway, leading 8-6

34: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Mitch Rein. Kick to come.
Mitch Rein dances his way through the defensive line with a wonderful ruck run to fool the crumbling Sharks markers.

36: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop slots the conversion attempt and the Dragons extend their lead to 8 points

37: Benji puts the ball into touch, controlled after points. Scrum Sharks down on their own 10 metre line, trailing 14-6

38: Penalty to Cronulla, flop the call. Count is now 5-4 to the Dragons as they retreat to their 20 metre line

39: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Josh Dugan fumbles a Jack Bird 2nd tackle set to give them one more chance for points before half time

39: Sharks can't come up with points, turn over and the Dragons have possession to close out the half

39: Penalty to Dragons. Michael Ennis lifting Nightingale in a dangerous tackle.

40: HALF TIME at Jubilee Oval has the Dragons on top of local rivals the Sharks with a solid defensive performance in the opening half, leading 14-6

41: Second half is UNDERWAY as the Dragons kick off and lead 14-6. Sharks with work to do in this half to fight back.

43: FORWARD PASS! Luke Lewis fuming as the floating ball was called back. Dragons scrum 25 metres out from the Sharks try line

44: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Will Matthews. Kick to come.
Will Matthews surges through the Sharks defence off a beautiful short pass from Widdop at the line. Sharks defence can't hold out the running 2nd rower

46: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop slots the conversion and the Dragons extend their lead to 14 points

47: Time off here as Josh Dugan has been collected by Michael Ennis off a kick. Players all coming together no doubt after Ennis ran his mouth.

47: Time back on as a scrum packs for the Sharks deep in their own end.

53: Ben Barba comes up with a what-the pass as he floating it back in field towards the mouth of the posts... Holmes ended up trapped in goal. Line drop out

53: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Penalty goal attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop takes the gift points on offer after Michael Ennis' failed short line drop out only went 5 metres. Sharks in a massive hole at the moment

57: Penalty to the Dragons, Blake Ayshford holding too long in the ruck. Free kick for the Red V sees them advance to just 20 metres out from the Sharks try line

60: VIDEO REFEREE for the Dragons… Jack de Belin looks like he had an air dive off Widdop kick

62: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Jack de Belin. Kick to come.
Jack de Belin dives and reaches out and somehow just managed to get a finger on the ball to score off a Gareth Widdop kick

62: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Widdop slots the extras from in front to extend this big lead over Cronulla.

63: Peter Mata'utia makes his way over the line, needs a look from the man upstairs in the referees box

63: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Peter Mata'utia. Kick to come.
Video referee happy with the grounding as Peter Mata'utia surges through three Sharks would-be defenders to give the Dragons a further lead

64: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop slots the extras from the sideline to extend the lead

67: Dugan takes a wonderful pop-pass… he runs and then a penalty comes for the Dragons as Dugan is held so long.

68: Penalty to the Sharks, Cronulla almost up to half way trailing 34-6

70: Mistake from the Sharks as Ben Barba passed forward to a running Robson. Scrum for the Dragons inside the Sharks half

73: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Ben Barba makes an unforced error.
Ben Barba comes up with a mistake again as he fumbles a ball in a two man tackle. Scrum for the Dragons with a chance to steal more points before full time

75: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Eto Nabuli. Kick to come.
Eto Nabuli sails down the sideline and plants it down after a swift back line movement to the eastern hill side of Jubilee Oval

76: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Eto Nabuli successful.
Gareth Widdop slots the conversion from the sideline and it's beautiful!

79: Penalty to #RedV for obstruction against Sharks. Bird the offender as the line was blocked

80: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Penalty goal attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop takes the penalty goal on offer from a Sharks obstruction play. He equals the Dragons goals in a game record, 9.

80: FULL TIME at Jubilee Oval has the Dragons finishing too good for the struggling Sharks, 42-6