Dragons show promise in Kogarah trial victory

Lachlan Ilias made his presence known early without the ball dragging down a charging De La Salle Va’a inches short of the stripe to save a four-pointer.

His display was backed up by halves partner Kyle Flanagan who came up with a show-and-go reminiscent of the effort he produced in his club debut on the Gold Coast a year ago to draw first blood for the Dragons.

Valentine Holmes knocked over the extras from in front to give his side a six-point edge.

Flanagan orchestrated a second try shortly after launching a fifth-tackle raid down a short left side and putting in a left-footed grubber which ricocheted into the waiting arms of Damien Cook who slammed the ball down.

The hosts’ hot start continued with Gutherson sending Mathew Feagai streaking into the backfield from inside his own half before being brought down.

Just plays later, a Cook grubber out of dummy-half ricocheted into the arms of Flanagan who lobbed a ball over the top to Sione Finau.

Finau scurried over in the left corner to add to the lead with Holmes slotting the conversion from the sideline to remain a perfect three-from-three from the tee.

Gutherson and Holmes left the field off the back of it having knocked out a solid, half-hour shift with youngsters Ben Rumble and Hayden Buchanan entering the action.

The Roosters were able to strike back prior to the break through Dominic Young who took in a Sandon Smith face ball to place the ball down in the corner and cut the deficit back to 18-4.

The first points of the second half came via Roosters winger Tyreece Tait who finished off a right side shift with Jake Elliott’s conversion attempt waved away as the score remained at 18-8.

Rugby Sevens convert Lawson ignited the Kogarah crowd with a moment of brilliance in which he skied to take in a Reed bomb, kept his balance, and put it on the toe again for a supporting Reed who won the race to the ball to score and extend the lead back beyond a pair of converted tries.

It capped off a whirlwind weekend for the teenage halfback who managed a four-pointer in Illawarra’s SG Ball outing in the nation’s capital yesterday afternoon.

Dylan Egan was placed on report late for a lifting tackle, but the Dragons defence was able to hold strong off it.

Mikaele Ravalawa went over in the corner untouched off a Ben Rumble cut-out in the dying stages to put a bow on a clinical Dragons win.

Attention now shifts to next Saturday’s Charity Shield clash against South Sydney in Mudgee for Shane Flanagan’s men.

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