Dragons put injury issues aside holding off Parra fightback

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St George Illawarra Dragons v Parramatta Eels

The St George Illawarra Dragons might have been dropping like flies both pre-game and during the game, but a blistering first half helped them to a 34-20 win over the Parramatta Eels in front of 18,000 fans at WIN Stadium.

The Dragons were forced to shuffle their line-up late, with Nathan Lawson replacing Christian Tuipulotu, who was injured during the warm-up. Lawson wasted no time making his mark, crossing for the first two tries of the match to give the Dragons an early lead and silencing any doubts about his inclusion.

Parramatta struck back through Josh Addo-Carr, whose pace proved too much for the Dragons' defence. However, the Dragons responded with a flurry of tries, including one from Corey Allan, who had just returned to the field following an HIA assessment to score. Under-pressure halfback Kyle Flanagan then showed his composure, diving over to extend the Dragons' lead.

Valentine Holmes capped off a dominant first half for the Dragons by outjumping Isaiah Iongi to claim a high ball and score. Holmes then converted his own try, giving the Dragons a commanding 26-4 lead at half-time.

Momentum began to swing in the second half, starting with Zac Lomax crossing out wide against his former side in the 47th minute. Parramatta then struck twice in quick succession, with Dean Hawkins scoring in the 57th minute and Kelma Tuilagi capitalising on a Nathan Lawson knock-on in the 59th minute to bring the Eels back into the game at 26-20.

Parramatta continued to press and thought they had another try through Josh Addo-Carr, only for the touch judge's flag to go up, ruling that Addo-Carr had stepped into touch. Replays showed the decision was as close as it gets, but it ultimately halted Parramatta's momentum.

The Eels remained in the hunt until Zac Lomax attempted a speculative pass late in the game. Valentine Holmes intercepted it, racing away to score in the 76th minute and putting the result beyond doubt. A late penalty goal from Kyle Flanagan sealed the Dragons' 34-20 victory, capping off a thrilling contest at WIN Stadium.

The injury concerns will play a big part for the Dragons in the lead up to their contest next week against the Raiders in Canberra whilst the Eels have a bye before a clash against the Panthers in a fortnight.