Dragons Flegg Drown The Rip In
History Making Win

The St George Illawarra Jersey Flegg side has made history and in the process sent an ominous warning to the rest of the competition with a resounding 102 - 8 win over the Central Coast Rip at Oki Jubilee Stadium today.

In what was shaping up as a mismatch from the start, the top of the table Dragons showed the cellar dweller Rip no mercy, putting on an amazing 18 tries to 2, thoroughly entertaining the home crowd.

Many a record would have been broken after five-eighth Josh Lewis personally registered 34 points which included one try and 15 conversions and of course, the home side knocking up a century. According to rugby league stats guru David Middleton, a feat not seen in our game for over 80 years.

It would have been too hard to judge a man of the match in such a dominating performance, but halfback and captain Jaime Keith caused the Rip endless headaches, scoring three tries and having a hand in countless others.

So on song were the home side, during the back end of the first half, an amazing seven tries were scored in seven sets of six!

It only took the Dragons two minutes to trouble the scorers after Keith put a precision bullet ball onto the chest of Willie Tupou 30 metres out from the Rip's line. Tupou hit the pass at speed, skittling defenders, then drawing the fullback to put his captain, Keith, in under the sticks.

From the very next set of six the Dragons went the length of the field, engaging in some brilliant second phase play, which culminated in second rower James Jiminez crossing for his first try of the afternoon.

It was all looking too easy for the competition front runners, when a basic error on their next set handed the Central Coast possession. It took the Rip only two plays before they found themselves over the stripe and back in the match thanks to fullback Nick Leloux.

The match bogged down into somewhat of an arm wrestle for the next five minutes until the Dragons decided enough was enough and show time was in order.

The remaining 18 minutes of the half saw tries to Keith, Tom Hewitt, George Ndaira, Tupou, Jiminez, Lewis and Ben Jefferey. A miraculous seven tries in seven sets.

The Dragons played with a flair and distinct level of arrogance not seen this season on a rugby league field.

Unfortunately for the Rip, the second half started in an all too familiar fashion. After cleverly receiving a repeat set of six, classy centre Lee Te Maari felt it was time he got in on the try scoring action. After brushing a few feeble attempts at tackle twenty metres out, Te Maari cantered the rest of the distance to exacerbate the humiliation for the visitors.

After Tupou grabbed his second just eight minutes later, a potentially century was on the cards. Scaringly for the Rip, the home side needed only 36 points in the remaining 25 minutes to reach the record breaking milestone.

Unfortunately for the Rip, their worst fears were to be realised.

Despite being the next team to score, the Rip drowned in a red and white torrent.

The Dragons finished with another six. Danny Wicks, Morris, Keith, Jhi Tanner, Jeffery and Te Maari. With the help of Josh Lewis' boot, the score line reached a staggering 96-8.

With a huge crowd pouring in to watch the main game, all eyes were fixed on the final minute of the game with the home side in possession and looking to crack the tonne.

On the third tackle the ball was spread out wide, some 15 metres short of halfway. Te Maari beat two then put the ball on the toe for a flying Hewitt. The fullback soccered the ball into the in goal area and won the foot race to score a sensational try and reach the amazing milestone.

The win now sees the Dragons two points clear on top of the Jersey Flegg ladder.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 102 ( J Keith 3, B Morris 2, L Te Maari 2, B Jefferey 2, J Jiminez 2, W Tupou 2, G Ndaira, J Lewis, D Wicks, T Hewitt, J Tanner tries; J Lewis 15 goals) d. CENTRAL COAST RIP 8 (N Leloux 2 tries)