Dragons Lower Grades Wrap: Round 8

The Dragons fell to the Roosters 19-18 in another Knock-On Effect NSW Cup heartbreaker at Collegians on Saturday.

The visitors drew first blood through centre Ethan Clark-Wood who took an aerial snag to fall over the line at make it a four-point game 10 minutes in.

A streaking Savelio Tamale continued his try-scoring run to hit back for the Red V having found himself in space after a Ryan Couchman offload made its way out to the winger courtesy of a Josh Ralph bat-on.

The 19-year-old still had plenty of work to do however outrunning a pair of chasers before leaving the fullback in his wake with some sharp footwork to run around behind the sticks.

Tamale soon turned one into two after a fifth-tackle Jesse Marschke offload created room down the left edge with Couchman sending a perfect cut-out to his winger to extend the Dragons' lead.

Halves Marschke and Ralph linked up to lay on another for the hosts prior to the break with the former crafting a tidy grubber for the latter to pounce on.

The Dragons' 18-4 halftime lead proved not enough however with the visitors storming home to a last-ditch win.

Tries to Jake Elliott and Lewis Murphy - the second coming with Couchman in the sin bin - brought the Roosters back within two before Elliott threw over a 66th-minute penalty goal to tie proceedings at 18-apiece.

Elliott slotted a late field goal to break the hearts of the Dragons and secure a one-point win for the Roosters.

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

The Dragons Jersey Flegg Cup unit are back in the winners' circle having downed the Roosters 30-24 in a comeback win at Collegians on Saturday.

Doubles to Lyhkan King-Togia - who made his season debut having impressed whilst training with the NRL squad throughout the preseason before enjoying a successful SG Ball Cup campaign with the Steelers - and Ethan Cliff proved valuable catalysts for the side's fightback.

The Roosters leapt out to an early lead courtesy of tries to Josh Durkin and Tyler Essex.

King-Togia was inserted into the action just shy of the half-hour mark and made his presence felt instantly crossing for the side's opening points.

The Roosters found another their next set through centre Noah Goodman to take an 18-6 lead into the sheds before King-Togia grabbed a second on the other side of the break to eat into the deficit.

The visitors again found an answer to the Dragons' hit-back attempts with hooker Alan Holten scurrying his way over to make it a 14-point game with under a half-hour to play.

From that point on however it was all Dragons with Aaron Hertsch's men pouring on four unanswered tries in a 19-minute span to race home to a key win.

Cliff scored twice in as many sets to spark the second half comeback before fullback Wes Pring followed his winger's efforts to make it three tries in just six minutes as the tide turned firmly the way of the hosts.

No.7 Ashton Ward put over the second and third of the conversions to give the Dragons a two-point edge entering the final 10.

A late Will Starling try sealed an impressive home win for the Dragons - their fifth of the year.