ID :
16877
Sun, 08/24/2008 - 23:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/16877
The shortlink copeid
Dragons move a step closer to finals
(aap) St George Illawarra put one foot inside the NRL finals door as the New Zealand Warriors road woes continued with a 34-6 loss at WIN Stadium.
The Dragons consolidated seventh spot on the ladder, jumped two points clear of their rivals and knocked the Warriors out of the eight with their five tries to onewin.
On an emotional afternoon in which Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles played their last game at the club's southern base, it was only fitting that the departing duo playeda leading hand in the rout.
Up 16-6 at the break after running into a strong southerly, the Dragons went on with the job as Ryles threw a pin-point offload to send Dean Young over for a 16-pointlead.
The Warriors chanced their arm in a desperate bid to get back into the contest but were their own worst enemies when Simon Mannering ignored two men on his outside tobe crushed just millimetres short of the line by a Matt Prior bellringer.
Gasnier gave the Dragons faithful a glimpse of what they would be missing next season when he brilliantly offloaded as he fell to the ground to set up Josh Morris'second of the afternoon.
`Gaz' reinforced the point with an unbelievable behind the back flick to send JasonNightingale on his way to the line.
The game started in a fairly conservative manner with the pressure of the situation - both sides locked on 26 points coming into the contest - showing through in theirplay.
The Warriors failed to make the most of the breeze at their back.
Matt Cooper opened the scoring in almost identical fashion to the four-pointer he scored against Brisbane last week when he ran an angled path to the line off a BenHornby pass.
A forward pass from Brent Tate to Wade McKinnon ruined the Warriors' chances of an immediate reply and Morris made them pay two minutes later when he crossed in thecorner for a 10-0 lead.
The Warriors' only joy came midway through the period when McKinnon raced onto a SamRapira pass but Cooper's second ensured it was the Dragons in the box seat.
The Dragons consolidated seventh spot on the ladder, jumped two points clear of their rivals and knocked the Warriors out of the eight with their five tries to onewin.
On an emotional afternoon in which Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles played their last game at the club's southern base, it was only fitting that the departing duo playeda leading hand in the rout.
Up 16-6 at the break after running into a strong southerly, the Dragons went on with the job as Ryles threw a pin-point offload to send Dean Young over for a 16-pointlead.
The Warriors chanced their arm in a desperate bid to get back into the contest but were their own worst enemies when Simon Mannering ignored two men on his outside tobe crushed just millimetres short of the line by a Matt Prior bellringer.
Gasnier gave the Dragons faithful a glimpse of what they would be missing next season when he brilliantly offloaded as he fell to the ground to set up Josh Morris'second of the afternoon.
`Gaz' reinforced the point with an unbelievable behind the back flick to send JasonNightingale on his way to the line.
The game started in a fairly conservative manner with the pressure of the situation - both sides locked on 26 points coming into the contest - showing through in theirplay.
The Warriors failed to make the most of the breeze at their back.
Matt Cooper opened the scoring in almost identical fashion to the four-pointer he scored against Brisbane last week when he ran an angled path to the line off a BenHornby pass.
A forward pass from Brent Tate to Wade McKinnon ruined the Warriors' chances of an immediate reply and Morris made them pay two minutes later when he crossed in thecorner for a 10-0 lead.
The Warriors' only joy came midway through the period when McKinnon raced onto a SamRapira pass but Cooper's second ensured it was the Dragons in the box seat.
