Dragons back at Kogarah, without OKI

The St George Illawarra Dragons have announced their home game split for the 2009 NRL season, with a return to their traditional heartlands at Kogarah Jubilee Oval.

Following a late start in 2008, redevelopment works at Jubilee Oval are now scheduled to be completed in November. The home game split for 2009 will include six home games to be played at Kogarah and six at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.

The return to Kogarah will end the Dragons' controversial one year deal with ANZ Stadium at Homebush.

The refurbished Jubilee Oval, however, will be re-launched in 2009 without sponsor OKI, the printing solutions company announcing this month that they'd be cancelling their sponsorship of Jubilee Oval and the Dragons. The sponsorship deal with OKI ends tomorrow (October 31st).

OKI General Manager Graham Harman stated in the St George Leader that there was no "no ill-feeling" towards the club.

Mr Harman said the company chose not to take an option to extend the contract when centre Mark Gasnier announced he would leave the club this year.

"We didn't really get the benefit of those rights because they played at ANZ Stadium this year," Mr. Harman said.

"That was one of the reasons we decided to discontinue the sponsorship.