The St George Illawarra Dragons will face the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium – Home of the Bidjigal/Bediagal peoples on Thursday, July 30 (7:50pm). This is your Indigenous Round game guide.
- All the relevant game day information
- Injuries for Dragons spine reshuffle
- Want Nathan Blacklock and Jamie Soward in the Indigenous team of the past 20 years? Click here to vote!
- Click here to see how the Rabbitohs will run out on Thursday night.
Mr 200 and Mr 50
He's one of the biggest names in the league and now Corey Norman is set to etch his name into the history books notching up his 200th NRL game on Thursday. It's an amazing achievement for the flamboyant half who made his debut for the Brisbane Broncos way back in 2010. Norman spent 3 years at the Broncos before relocating to Parramatta where he played 107 games. But his 200th will be with the Dragons emblem on his chest so expect the squad to be fired up to mark his achievement.
Dragons junior Blake Lawrie also reaches an impressive milestone on Thursday, playing in his 50th NRL match. Lawrie made his debut for the Dragons in 2017 after impressing in the junior ranks and earning his call up to the top flight.
Dragons celebrate Indigenous Round
The Dragons will kick off Indigenous Round celebrations on Thursday evening against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Thursday night's pre-game entertainment will include cultural performances lead by former Dragon and Clontarf director Jeff Hardy and his students from Endeavour Sport High School.
Local students from the Gilli dance group will also perform as will 1973 Golden Guitar winner Col Hardy OAM.
The Red V currently have five players who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. As well as recent Dragons' NRLW and Indigenous All Stars players Shaylee Bent, Stephanie Mooka and Shakiah Tungai, they are:
- Tyrell Fuimaono (Wiradjuri)
- Josh Kerr (Quandamooka)
- Jason Saab (Anaiwan)
- Tristan Sailor (Erub (Darnley) Island)
- Jayden Sullivan (Yuin)
The Dragons are also blessed to have an Indigenous presence etched in the club's history, including Jamie Soward who is the club's most capped player of all-time (977 points – 39 tries, 398 goals, 25 field goals).
Soward and Amos Roberts also jointly hold the record for most points scored in a match (22) and most goals in a match (nine) alongside former skipper Gareth Widdop.
Former fan favourite Nathan Blacklock also scored 76 tries between seasons 1999 and 2001, including a whopping 27 in 2001 (the equal-sixth most by an individual in Australian premiership history).
Kerr and Fuimaono on the importance of Indigenous Round
Right side, strong side
The Dragons' 2020 season highlight reel is slowly growing and for the best part it's thanks to the fantastic combination growing between fullback Matt Dufty and centre-winger pairing Zac Lomax and Mikaele Ravalawa.
The trio have stamped their mark on the competition in recent weeks with several spectacular tries in wins over the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs as well as the narrow, albeit controversial, loss to the Sharks last weekend.
Between them, they have scored eight tries with five try assists to boot and will hoping for much more of the same up against the Rabbitohs' left-edge defence.
History headache
The Rabbitohs haven't been a happy hunting ground for St George Illawarra in recent years, with the Dragons winning only two of their previous 10 meetings against South Sydney.
The consolation of the Dragons winning three of five games against Souths at Kogarah helps tidy the Red V's recent run a little but it will be all in vain if they can't secure victory on Thursday.
Stay Covid safe!
Red V members and partners afforded entrance to attend Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Thursday afternoon are reminded to familiarise themselves with the Covid-19 safe protocols.
A reminder to Red V members not eligible for the Round 12 ballot as well as non-ticketed members are encouraged to keep an eye on their email inbox throughout the week, as a small portion of tickets may potentially become available for purchase.
