2009 St. George Illawarra Dragons season

2009 St. George Illawarra Dragons
League 1st NRL
2009 record 26-17-9
Home record 13-10-3
Away record 13-7-6
Points for 570
Points against 378
Team information
CEO Australia Peter Doust
Coach Australia Wayne Bennett
Captain Australia Ben Hornby
Ground

WIN Jubilee Oval

WIN Stadium
Top scorers
Tries Brett Morris (25)
Goals Jamie Soward (90)
Points Jamie Soward (234)
 < 2008 2010 > 

The 2009 St. George Illawarra Dragons season was 11th in the joint venture Rugby League club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership under new coach Wayne Bennett and finished the season as minor premiers. However a series of losses late in the season saw them become the first minor premiers to bow out of the McIntyre System with two consecutive losses in the finals.

Season Summary

Coming off a 2008 Qualifying Final loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and with a new Coach in the office being Wayne Bennett, the Dragons signed a number of new players but lost just as many. The Dragons were hoping to improve the previous years Qualifying Final loss, by making it even further this year. Five Toyota Cup players of 2008 have been promoted to the First Grade squad with more talented juniors rising through the ranks within the club.

St. George led the competition in defence in 2009 and finished the season with the minor premiership, the club's first. Their strong performance also led to new records for home match attendances at WIN Jubilee Oval.

St George exited the finals series in the second week of the finals.


Pre Season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Attendance Report
14 FebruaryTrial Sydney RoostersMembers Equity Stadium, Perth54 69,832
21 FebruaryMercury Challenge Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsWIN Stadium, Wollongong24 127,628
28 FebruaryCharity Shield South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium, Sydney6 1825,871
Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw

Regular Season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Attendance Report
13 March1 Melbourne StormOlympic Park Stadium, Melbourne16 1714,870
21 March2 Gold Coast TitansWIN Stadium, Wollongong16 1013,329
29 March3 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah10 620,847
3 April4 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane25 1242,435
10 April5 Parramatta EelsParramatta Stadium, Parramatta22 819,017
18 April6 Newcastle KnightsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah18 2414,477
25 April7 Sydney RoostersSydney Football Stadium, Sydney29 028,926
3 May8 New Zealand WarriorsWIN Stadium, Wollongong12 1114,562
9 May9 North Queensland CowboysDairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville20 2416,031
15 May10 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah20 1818,415
23 May11 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksToyota Stadium, Cronulla26 415,201
29 May12 Penrith PanthersWIN Stadium, Wollongong38 1010,623
8 June13 Gold Coast TitansSkilled Park, Gold Coast24 2820,416
14 June14 North Queensland CowboysWIN Stadium, Wollongong32 1811,374
15
26 June16 Wests TigersSydney Football Stadium, Sydney21 1015,211
3 July17 Sydney RoostersWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah34 1212,472
12 July18 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesWIN Stadium, Wollongong48 1816,792
19
26 July20 New Zealand WarriorsMount Smart Stadium, Auckland29 413,507
31 July21 Melbourne StormWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah26 1216,474
7 August22 Penrith PanthersPenrith Stadium, Penrith25 619,987
15 August23 Canberra RaidersCanberra Stadium, Canberra12 2417,044
21 August24 Brisbane BroncosWIN Stadium, Wollongong2 1214,740
29 August25 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium, Sydney6 4119,218
4 September26 Parramatta EelsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah37 017,974
Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw       Bye

Finals

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Attendance Report
13 SeptemberQualifying Final Parramatta EelsWIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah12 2518,174
19 SeptemberSemi Final Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane10 2450,225
Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw

2009 NRL Ladder

Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 St. George Illawarra 2417072548329+21938
2 Bulldogs 2418062575428+14738*
3 Gold Coast 2416082514467+4736
4 Melbourne 2414192505348+15733
5 Manly-Warringah 24140102549439+9032
6 Brisbane 24140102511566−5532
7 Newcastle 24130112508491+1730
8 Parramatta 24121112476473+329
9 Wests Tigers 24120122558483+7528
10 South Sydney 24111122566549+1727
11 Penrith 24111122515589−7427
12 North Queensland 24110132558474+8426
13 Canberra 2490152489510−3122
14 New Zealand 2472152377545−18820
15 Cronulla-Sutherland 2450192359568−20914
16 Sydney Roosters 2450192382681−29914

* Bulldogs stripped of 2 competition points after an interchange breach in round 2

Squad

No. Position Player
Australia FB Darius Boyd
Australia CE Matt Cooper
Papua New Guinea SR Neville Costigan
Australia SR Ben Creagh
Australia CE Nick Emmett
Cook Islands HK Daniel Fepuleai
Australia PR Jon Green
Australia HB Mathew Head
Australia HB Ben Hornby
Australia PR Dan Hunt
Australia WG Michael Lett
Australia WG Brett Morris
New Zealand WG Jason Nightingale
Tonga SR Mickey Paea
No. Position Player
Australia PR Justin Poore
Australia HK Luke Priddis
Australia PR Matt Prior
Italy HK Alex Ranieri
South Africa SR Jarrod Saffy
Australia WG Wendell Sailor
Australia PR Beau Scott
New Zealand SR Jeremy Smith
Australia FE Jamie Soward
New Zealand CE Chase Stanley
New Zealand PR Ricky Thorby
Australia PR Michael Weyman
Australia LK Dean Young
New Zealand HK Nathan Fien

Transfers

Gains

Player Gained From
Darius Boyd Brisbane Broncos
Neville Costigan Canberra Raiders
Nick Emmett Brisbane Broncos
Nathan Fien New Zealand Warriors
Mathew Head Wests Tigers
Mickey Paea Sydney Roosters
Luke Priddis Penrith Panthers
Jeremy Smith Melbourne Storm
Michael Weyman Canberra Raiders

Losses

Player Lost To
Rangi Chase Castleford Tigers
Mark Gasnier Stade Français
Josh Morris Canterbury Bulldogs
Kirk Reynoldson Retirement
Ben Rogers Newcastle Knights
Jason Ryles Catalans Dragons
Lagi Setu Brisbane Broncos
Simon Woolford Retirement

References