The NSWRL is shining the spotlight on the 2019 Jersey Flegg Cup, selecting a weekly shortlist of the top five tries from every team in the top eight. Our team in focus this week are 2019’s eighth-placed St George Illawarra Dragons. Check here every weekday for rolling coverage of the top five countdown.
The Dragons were red-hot in the 2019 Jersey Flegg Cup, helped by the likes of young superstars Jayden Sullivan, Jason Saab, Max Feagai and Cody Ramsey who absolutely sizzled at times during the season.
St George were genuine premiership contenders and showed that in Round One after drawing with eventual premiers South Sydney Rabbitohs, however it was a bittersweet end to their season as the same team knocked them out in Week One of the Finals with a close 32-24 victory.
Throughout the season, they also showed their skill as they managed to beat three top eight teams in the Penrith Panthers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks, while in Round 24 the Canberra Raiders beat them by just two points.
The Red-V certainly have a bright future when you look at some of these players coming through and the amazing tries they have scored.
Dragons best 2019 tries
#5
Dragons number five try
Number five in the countdown came late in the season in Round 23 against the Warriors when Sam McCann and Cody Ramsey combined.
The Warriors put up a bomb towards the Dragons backs and McCann effortlessly took the catch in the air and continued on his way, shrugging off a few defenders and passing the ball to Ramsey who uses some super speed to evade the opposition defenders and score a fantastic try.
The Dragons ran out 42-22 winners on the day at home at Jubilee Stadium.
#4
Dragons number four try
Taking out fourth spot in the countdown was something you rarely see on the football field – a four-pointer straight from the kick-off.
Against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in Round 6, Jason Saab collected a kick from the corner of the field in the eighth minute of play.
Saab chose to stay on the short-side than run infield, bouncing off his first defender before galloping up the sideline and past the fullback to score – just the first of three tries for the No.5 on that day.
#3
Dragons number three try
Attacking through the middle was the plan for St George Illawarra when they faced the Sharks in Round 22, and it paid off for their first points of the contest.
Centre Shaun Sauni-Esau made a run from inside the 20-metre zone and broke the line with late footwork and a right arm fend.
As he approached the last defender, Sauni-Esau found ever-present fullback Cody Ramsey in support then regained possession back inside before passing to halfback Blair Grant for the try.
#2
Dragons number two try
Dragons No.1 Cody Ramsey and halfback Grant were at it again for try number two in Round 12 at Leichhardt Oval.
Hooker Blake Barbuto started the play when he scooted out of dummy half from his own 30 and muscled past a two-man tackle attempt.
Ramsey backed up his No.9 with 35 metres to go and managed an overhead offload as the remaining Tigers tried to shut him down. Blair Grant wasn’t close enough to catch the pass, but he innovatively toed the ball forward and scored just before the dead-ball line.
#1
Dragons number one try
Top spot on the St George Illawarra countdown was against the Bears in Round 7 as one of the Dragons’ most dangerous attackers in Cody Ramsey came up against a broken defensive line.
The Bears put in a clearing kick to end the opening set that fell into the chest of Ramsey at the 20-metre line, giving him just enough time to read the oncoming defence.
Ramsey then stepped to his right and bolted down the sideline, shrugged off the Bears No.3 then threw an inside ball over his shoulder and across the opposition fullback for five-eighth Tyran Wishart to score under the posts.
