Dragons take on Eels in Perth without coach & stars

[admin]

09 Feb, 2010
St George Illawarra will be without coach Wayne Bennett and eight of their stars when they fly out to Perth to prepare for their first trial of the 2010 season against grand finalists Parramatta, the team who put them out of the finals last season.
Bennett will be on the Gold Coast coaching the NRL All Stars team, containing centre Matt Cooper against the Indigenous All Stars team, including five-eighth Jamie Soward. Bennett's assistant coach Steve Price will be in charge of the side on Sunday.

Also missing are players recovering from off-season surgery or injuries, headed by forwards Michael Weighman, Jarrod Saffy, Dean Young and Neville Costigan and back Brett Morris whilst Beau Scott will also miss the game (suspended).

Price said the squad was "far ahead'' of where they were this time last year.

"Jeremy [Hickman] is doing a great job and they just got up to speed now, so they are looking good,'' he said.

Price said his side was not thinking about the Eels and how they ousted the Dragons early in the 2009 finals race or the fact the two teams meet again in round one of the season proper.

"No, we're not worrying about them this week at all,'' he said. "We haven't even spoken about them.

"We are just worrying about what we can control. We're just going to get out there and enjoy ourselves.''

New buys outside back Peni Tagive, and forwards Michael Greenfield and Jack Bosden with local junior Kyle Stanley, younger brother of just-departed Dragon Chase Stanley, will occupy some interest.

Dragons first trial side:

Backs: Ben Hornby (c), Darius Boyd, Michael Lett, Peni Tagive, Jason Nightingale, Nick Emmett, Kyle Stanley, Beau Henry, Bronx Goodwin;

Forwards: Trent Merrin, Jon Green, Matt Prior, Ben Creagh, Nathan Fien, Dan Hunt, Jeremy Smith, Ricky Thorby, Michael Greenfield, Jake Marketo, Luke Priddis, Junior Paulo, Jack Bosden.