Dragons give hope to wooden spoon battle after downing Tigers
St George Illawarra can dream of avoiding the wooden spoon after several players with uncertain futures stood up to consign Wests Tigers to an eighth straight loss.
After they led by 12 with four minutes to play, the Dragons had to hold on for a nervous final three minutes before claiming a 24-22 victory at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday.
Fresh off their first back-to-back wins this year, the last-placed Dragons now finish the round only four points behind Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The Tigers could also still be caught while six points ahead, with the Dragons to face Canterbury, Manly and Parramatta to finish their season.
Much has been made of the potential of the Dragons' younger forwards this year, and what is building at St George Illawarra ahead of next year's big-name arrivals.
But this was a Sunday afternoon for those whose futures at the club appear clouded.
Daniel Atkinson proved he can offer utility value for the Dragons next year, after going from first-choice halfback at the start of the year to filling in at fullback.
Playing No.1 for the first time in his NRL career, Atkinson was solid at the back, put on a cut-out ball for a Tyrell Sloan try and had a couple of big kick returns.
It remains unclear what role he will have next year, given Luke Metcalf and Kodi Nikorima are arriving to play in the halves and Scott Drinkwater will be fullback.
The same could be said of Lykhan King-Togia, who on Sunday had one of his best games of the year.
The Dragons five-eighth caught out Adam Doueihi in defence and sent Hamish Stewart over for the Saints' first try.
And he had one of his own in the second half, digging into the line to create space for a Sloan linebreak before backing up to take a kick back inside from his Super League-bound winger.
Moses Suli, who has pledged to fight for his spot after being told by the Dragons he could leave, also had a strong afternoon.
The Tigers came up short despite a big finish. (Getty Images: Brett Hemmings )
The 28-year-old burst his way through two defenders to go 50 metres and score once in the first half, before pulling off a try-saver on Jahream Bula in the second.
For the Tigers, a season that started so well can't end soon enough.
They led 6-0 early through Sunia Turuva, and briefly fought back into the game at 18-12 after halftime when Samuela Fainu finished off an Alex Seyfarth break.
The one bright spot was a late double to centre Solomone Saukuru, who reduced the margin to two with three minutes to play.
But the fact just 9773 fans turned up for a Sunday afternoon match against another Sydney team is telling of how badly this season has spiralled.
Earlier, Newcastle captain Kalyn Ponga credited the performance of Fletcher Sharpe for keeping the Knights' NRL top-four hopes alive in their 36-26 home win over the Gold Coast.
With Sunday's game in the balance heading into the final 20 minutes, five-eighth Sharpe took charge with a darting 55-metre dummy-half try-scoring run to extend Newcastle's lead.
Sharpe followed up in the final six minutes with a second try, when he scooped up a wayward Titans ball to race 60 metres downfield to seal victory.
"Sharpie doing what he does today was pretty special. I'm very appreciative of him after that," Ponga said.
"Without him, I don't know if we play the way we did, to be honest. He broke open the game for us in the second half and when he's streaking away it is a nice feeling."
With a final round bye in hand and Cronulla staring down consecutive losses, the Knights sit just two competition points adrift of the fourth-placed Dolphins.
An unlikely top-four berth would complete a remarkable 12-month turnaround for the Knights following their 2025 wooden spoon finish.
AAP
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Signing off
Apologies for no press conference updates, we've had some technical dramas here at HQ.
That will do me for today, thank you for stopping by.
Key Event
Fulltime: Dragons 24 def Tigers 22
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
A pretty entertaining game on the whole and the Dragons are giving themselves a real shot of avoiding the wooden spoon after going back-to-back in the last two weeks.
The Tigers looked a bit better but another loss for them. What a disaster their season has become.
79' Tigers last chance falls short
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Herbert goes for a miracle flick pass on halfway as the Tigers are trying to work down for a two-point field goal and it goes forward and over the sideline.
He went all in and lost there. Saints should hang on now.
77' Dragons just hang on
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Fainu busts through! He's dragged down but the Tigers are only 30 metres out from the tryline.
Sukkar claims Luai's bomb but his pass out the back is intercepted by King-Togia.
Key Event
76' Tigers get another as grandstand finish looms
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Tigers put up a bomb and they're ruled to have knocked it on, they challenge....and I think they'll get it, Atkinson touched it first. Tigers ball. They have to score right now.
And they will! A good spread left, Luai and Bula combine nicely and put Saukuru over for his second try of the day! What a debut it's become!
Doueihi from touch, this can bring the two-point field goal and a penalty goal into play if he nails it....which he does!
It's 24-22 with three minutes remaining!
Injury: Sunia Turuva
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
The winger is done for the day with a knee injury with Tavana taking his place on the left flank.
Key Event
71' Tigers score a beauty to force big finish
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Tavana gets some space and kicks for himself and regathers, from there they spread it left, Luai puts Koroisau into some space and he fangs the pass out to Saukuru for the kid to score on debut!
Onya young fella! He's got a huge group of friends and family there and they are going nuts.
Doueihi from touch to keep the game alive....he drags it just left. Score is 24-16 to Saints.
68' Time running out for Tigers
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
A kick is deflected by the Dragons and the Tigers have a fresh set inside the 20....only for Bula to knock it on a few plays later. Deary me.
Key Event
61' Dragons go over with a beauty
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
The Dragons spread it left around halfway, a great tip on from Holmes puts Sloan away, he kicks back inside and there's white jerseys everywhere, it falls for King-Tongia and he's over!
Terrific footy and the Dragons have the two try buffer back. Holmes converts and it's 24-12 to the Red V.
Key Event
49' Fainu goes over for Tigers
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Doueihi straightens up and hits Seyfarth short, he pulls through a gap and has Samuela Fainu in support to score. Tigers are back in it.
Doueihi converts and it's back to 18-12.
44' Tigers can't punch it in
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
A Sloan error puts the Tigers on the attack.
Bula nearly slides over but some good defence from the Dragons shuts it down. On the last, Luai declines to put a kick in and Herbert is wrapped up by the defence.
Second half is underway
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Dragons kick us off and we're halfway home.
Match report: Knights down Titans to keep top four hopes alive
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Dane Gagai, Greg Marzhew and Fletcher Sharpe have all scored try doubles as Newcastle kept their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive with a 36-26 home win over the Gold Coast.
With a final round bye in hand and Cronulla staring down consecutive losses, the Knights sit just two competition points adrift of the fourth-placed Dolphins.
An unlikely top-four berth would complete a remarkable 12-month turnaround for the Knights following their 2025 wooden spoon finish.
Sunday's 10-point win wasn't without its issues for Newcastle with failing to return after half-time with a reported hamstring injury.
The absence of the veteran centre led to an unexpected first grade debut for Toby Winter, who three months ago was playing in the SG Ball Under-19s grand final.
A crucial try-saving tackle by the 19-year-old on back-rower Beau Fermor proved the highlight of his maiden game.
Gagai's double and winger Marzhew's first try all came within 18 minutes, and held Newcastle in good stead at 16-0.
But the Titans overcame a hefty penalty deficit to keep in touch with the Knights through tries for Fermor and Jayden Campbell.
A critical intervention from The Bunker minutes into the second half prevented the Titans from hitting the lead, when it ruled that centre Jojo Fifita's elbow hit the ball in the lead up to him scoring.
Ill-discipline was the story of the day for the Titans and soon after led to Newcastle centre Fletcher Hunt, who had been denied by the bunker twice in the game, capping off a long-range effort to extend his side's lead.
Kurtis Morrin's try in the 57th minute was countered by the Knights within four minutes through a darting 55-metre dummy-half try-scoring run from five-eighth Sharpe.
Further tries to Marzhew and Sharpe rounded out the win for the Knights, despite the best efforts of Fermor and halfback Lachlan Ilias at the death.
AAP
Halftime: Dragons 18 lead Tigers 6
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Good stuff from Saints, awful from the Tigers.
Key Event
39' Suli goes 50 metres to score
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
May loses the ball as he tries to offload and two plays later Suli breaks through around halfway and goes all the way to score!
A great solo try and some awful defence from the Tigers, it was the rookie Saukuru and Jarome Luai who missed him.
The Dragons are well on top now. Holmes is back on after passing his HIA and he nails it from touch.
Dragons lead 18-6.
Key Event
33' Stewart goes in for Dragons
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Stewart forces a drop out with a nice grubber and the Dragons are chasing more points.
King-Togia throws a great short ball and Stewart scores! He's been one of the Red V's best all year and that's a well deserved try.
Flanagan converts and it's 12-6 Saints.
26' Big time falcon on Couchman
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Luai went for a clearing kick that went straight into Ryan Couchman's face. It knocked him off his feet but he's up and OK. That would've stung.
Key Event
24' Dragons reply through Sloan
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Tupou gets pinged for passing off the ground and the Dragons have some field position for the first time.
They make no mistake either, with a nice shift to the left finishing with Sloan stepping inside two defenders and reaching out to score!
He's been in good touch recently, Sloan. Flanagan's kick from out wide is good and it's 6-all.
Key Event
17' Turuva goes over for first try
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
Holmes makes an error to give the Tigers possession and he's off for an HIA after copping a knock as well. Then a ruck penalty gives them a fresh set inside the 20.
Koroisau forces a drop out with a grubber, Saukuru very nearly got there first but Feagai bats it dead.
They spread it left, the halves combine and Turuva is over in the corner! The winger was on a 15-game try drought.
Just need to clear that he kept his legs in.....yup, all good.
Doueihi from the touchline....drills it! Tigers lead 6-0.
12' Tigers denied first points
By Nick Campton
By Nick Campton
After almost ten minutes of set-for-set footy, Feagai makes an error on his own 30 and the Tigers have the chance at first points.
A deflected kick on the last gives them a fresh set but the Dragons hold the line. Tigers attack was a little too sideways.
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