Round 6
Sea Eagles 24 l. Dragons 26

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Matt Orford [HB] 8 Pts; 4/5g
Brett Stewart [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
Brent Kite [PR] 4 Pts; 1t
Ben Kennedy [LK] 4 Pts; 1t
Michael Robertson [WG] 4 Pts; 1t

St.George-Illawarra Dragons
Matthew Head [HB] 10 Pts; 5/5g
Matt Cooper [CT] 8 Pts; 2t
Dean Young [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
Matt Bickerstaff [BE] 4 Pts; 1t



Cool Head gets Dragons home as Brown lets fly
Sun April 16, 2006
The return of Dragons halfback Mathew Head has been the catalyst for the Dragons return to form 26-24 victory against Manly at Brookvale Oval last night in front of 18,069 supporters. Head has been out of action for the last 10 months and despite being one of the lower profile Dragons player is probably the most important ingredient as he directs all the "superstars" around the field. Head ultimately proved to be the difference landing five goals from five attempts as both sides scored four tries each.

Ben Kennedy scored a determined try in the 8th minute to open Manly's account with Matt Orford converting and also landing a 15th minute penalty goal as the Sea Eagles led 8-0.

Dean Young opened the Dragons account in the 19th minute and the Saints got hold of the lead on 30 minutes when Matt Cooper scored the first of two tries. Head converted both tries as St George Illawarra led 12-8.

Manly went into halftime leading 14-12 with former Canberra Raiders winger Michael Robertson scoring four minutes before the break to level up the scores and Orford added the extras giving the Sea Eagles a two point lead.

Cooper scored his second try in the 54th minute with Head converting and adding a penalty goal as the Dragons jumped to a 20-14 lead.

Exciting Manly fullback Brett Stewart got the Sea Eagles right back into the match with a 64th minute try but Orford's missed conversion from near the posts cost the home side the chance to level up the scores.

Matt Bickerstaff all but sealed victory for the Dragons when he crashed over in the 67th minute with Head again converting.

Brent Kite scored a contentious try with six minutes remaining to setup a thrilling finish but the Dragons dug deep to hold onto a great victory following the hiding they received from Newcastle in Wollongong last week.

Dragons coach Nathan Brown didn't mince with words after the match attacking the media after the club and Brown received negative press with regards to the Newcastle hiding. Brown said,

"Probably doesn't go to the script a lot of you blokes were hoping for. You were probably hoping we'd get beaten by 40. You know what you would have done. You blokes gave us a hammering last week. I reckon tomorrow you should write nice things."

Brown also jumped to the defence of Dragons Chief Executive Peter Doust with people calling for Doust to go. Brown said, "A lot of other clubs get flogged. I haven't seen people wanting Bruno Cullen or Brian Canavan sacked. The Roosters get beat but there will be no one saying, 'Brian Canavan, sack him, cut his head off because he's a snake and you've got to kill it'.

"That's because the Dragons are a popular club and there are expectations. We're not complaining. But I just think the guys did great tonight."

Canavan is the Roosters CEO and Cullen is the boss at the Broncos.

Brown however saved praise for halfback Head and went on to say, "I've been trying to tell all these experts who think they know about Rugby League that he's as important to us as Andrew Johns is to Newcastle."

Head is off contract at the end of the year and will be rewarded with a significant contract as the Dragons will lose Trent Barrett to England and Mark Gasnier to another 'sport'.

The match overall was entertaining and keenly contested by two sides who will make the top eight.

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