Match Centre

Round 24: St George Illawarra v North Queensland preview

Is this a dead rubber, or do the Dragons still have a sneaky chance?

With so many teams still in contention, you could absolutely be forgiven for thinking this contest is a total write-off - but the men in the big Red V always manage to pull a surprise out. Two wins from their last two games give them every chance to play finals footy - and that starts with taking care of the 15th-place Cowboys in Rockhampton on Saturday afternoon.

Gearing up for their second NRL contest after enjoying a points-fest between Cronulla and Wests Tigers last Saturday, the people of Rockhampton could well see a similar showing pile-on of points this week. The Dragons will have nothing to lose, and North Queensland's season is well and truly over, sinking to second-last after Brisbane recorded their 6th win of 2021 on Sunday.

All that should mean 'caution to the wind' for both sides, with plenty of free-flowing footy for two teams who are on long losing streaks.

After six games without a win - since the infamous COVID-breach barbeque in July - Saints coach Anthony Griffin is keen to switch things up. Tyrell Sloan is back, pushing Matt Dufty out of the squad. Blake Lawrie (hand) returns at prop and Josh McGuire fills the other prop spot, with Kaide Ellis out of the 17 and Jack de Belin shifting to lock. Tariq Sims relocates to second row with Tyrell Fuimaono the other second rower. The Dragons have also picked up Freddy Lussick from the Roosters for the last two rounds, citing a shortage of players (interesting in itself given that Easts themselves only named 20 players this week)...

The Cowboys are winless in 10 games - the longest current streak in the competition - but have good news on the teamsheet. Jason Taumalolo returns, albeit as a middle forward. Kyle Feldt is back after withdrawing last week through a jaw injury acquired the week before, as is Murray Taulagi. This sees Holmes move to the centres, while Laitia Moceidreke and Daejarn Asi drop out of the 17. Elsewhere, Mitchell Dunn drops to the bench and Coen Hess is out of the lineup completely, with Reuben Cotter to start lock and Griffin Neame returning on the interchange after missing last week due to suspension.

Last meeting: Round 2 2021 - Cowboys 18 Dragons 25

Who to watch: Starting the year as teammates, props Josh McGuire and Jason Taumalolo would not have wanted to be in also-ran territory at this point of the season.

Shifting to the Red V earlier this year, McGuire has filled a range of roles right across the forward pack and off the bench. This week he's named in the front row alongside mainstay Blake Lawrie, who himself is back from injury. Lawrie and McGuire will pack in either side of Jayden Sullivan, who has played musical chairs across the Dragons' lineup in recent weeks as a result of the COVID-breach sanctions put on the club. 

For the Cowboys, it's the curious case of Jason Taumalolo's positional selection. Despite winning accolades and representiing his nation with jumper #13 on his back, Todd Payten has persisted in moving him around the pack in a similar manner to McGuire, first to second row, and now on his return from injury as a front-rower. Whether this is an effective move remains to be seen, but he'll have to give a full-boar performance to drag the Townsville club out of this long slump.

The favourite: The Dragons have more wins, more recent wins and have showed more promise in recent weeks than their opponents. As a result, they're better backed to get the job done.

My tip: The Dragons' unlikely finals hopes rest on winning this game and putting in a herculean performance next week against Souths, while the Cowboys are probably already planning an (intrastate) post-season holiday. St George Illawarra by 18.