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IT was not a game for the scrapbooks unless you were an embattled coach coming off torrid trial form with questions already being asked about an uncertain future.
Which Steve Price just happened to be.
Price, the Dragons coach, will sleep easily.
Oh yes.
Match centre: Game details and stats
St George Illawarra struggled to score points for most of last season but had just put on 44 against Wests Tigers, taking the opening round and showing that, with Gareth Widdop now driving them around the park, the Dragons have the potential to detonate.
Ben Creagh dragged down. Source: Getty Images
Price remained true to character after the game. Typically understated, quietly confident in his systems he has in place.
"You're always looking to score a few points," he said.
"As I said, it's going to take a bit of time with new combinations and new players. It always takes time and confidence."
It might have looked like false modesty if the Dragons hadn't started slowly and let the Tigers skip away to 18-6 after just 20 minutes.
Jason Nightingale of the Dragons. Source: Getty Images
The Tigers were sharp, Pat Richards scoring first after a nice play down the left edge and then James Tedesco splitting a disorganised defence on a turnover to shock the Dragons.
And while Tyson Frizell brought them back to within a try, the Tigers looked like they were going to go on with it when Robbie Farah dived over from dummy-half shortly after.
But that was as good as it got for the Tigers.
Marika Koroibete tackled by the Dragons' defence. Source: News Corp Australia
"We lost control of the game," Farah said.
And, as usual, the result went the way of possession, and the Tigers were their own worst enemy.
Potter grabbed halves Braith Anasta and Luke Brooks after the game.
"I spoke to the halves about our last play options," he said.
"They just weren't good enough."
The Dragons went to the break leading 20-18 but, through Widdop's steady example, kept their nerve the better in the second half.
They kicked better and they tested the referee less.
So while both sides scored early in the second half, the Dragons were slowly emerging the better.
The evidence was in their body language.
Gerard Beale makes a break. Source: News Corp Australia
The Dragons were still driving. The Tigers slowly began to lose all shape, their sets lethargic.
Slowly, poor kicks and a failure to put the Dragons under pressure, as well as a steep penalty count, were compounding on a team without six regular first graders for the season opener.
It was a matter of time until it finally went bust.
"We got ourselves back in in the second half," Farah said.
"I was pretty filthy on myself for a poor kick I put in and they went down the other end and scored."
Tyson Frizell of the Dragons. Source: Getty Images
In that, the Tigers need to take the lesson from the Dragons.
They won through persistence and the steady presence and calm focus of Widdop.
"He brings a lot of experience in attack," skipper Ben Creagh said.
"He's so patient and so calm. There's no rushing out there. No, I suppose, trying to do things 100 miles an hour."
Halfback Michael Witt left the field with a dislocated shoulder, Jack de Bellin appeared to suffer a cork, while the Tigers lost Liam Fulton early with concussion.
In better news, Keith Galloway, David Nofoaluma and Tim Simona are all expected to be back this week for the Tigers.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 44 (T Frizell 2 G Beale B Creagh A Quinlan M Rein M Witt tries G Widdop 8 goals) bt WESTS TIGERS 24 (R Farah P Richards M Taupau J Tedesco tries P Richards 4 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Ashley Klein, Adam Gee. Crowd: 19,860.
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