St. George Illawarra Dragons facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids Club information |
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| Full name | St. George Illawarra Dragons Rugby League Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | Dragons, Saints, Red V | ||
| Website | dragons.com.au | ||
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| Founded | 23 September 1998 (joint-venture of the St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers) |
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| CEO | TBA | ||
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| Competition | National Rugby League | ||
| 2024 season 2023 season |
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| Premierships | 1 2010 | ||
| Runners-up | 1 (1999) | ||
| Minor premiership | 2 (2009, 2010) | ||
| World Club Challenge | 1 (2011) | ||
| Most capped | 273 - Ben Hornby | ||
| Highest points scorer | 977 - Jamie Soward | ||
The St. George Illawarra Dragons are a professional rugby league team from Australia. They represent the Illawarra and St George areas of New South Wales. The club joined the National Rugby League (NRL) in 1999.
The Dragons were formed on 23 September 1998. They were the first team created by two clubs joining together. These clubs were the St. George Dragons (started in 1921) and the Illawarra Steelers (started in 1982). The Dragons are still the only team in the NRL that represents two different cities.
The team has offices and clubs in both Wollongong and Kogarah, a suburb of Sydney. They train and play games regularly at WIN Stadium in Wollongong and Jubilee Oval in Kogarah.
In their first year, 1999, the Dragons reached the grand final but lost to the Melbourne Storm. They are one of only two clubs to be runners-up in their first season. In 2010, the Dragons won their second straight minor premiership. This means they finished first on the ladder before the finals. They were the first team to win the J. J. Giltinan Shield two years in a row since the NRL began in 1998.
The Dragons won the 2010 NRL Grand Final by beating the Sydney Roosters 32–8. This game was played at Stadium Australia in Sydney. In 2011, they won the 2011 World Club Challenge. They beat the Wigan Warriors 21–15 in the UK. This made them the first Australian team since 1992–93 to win the minor premiership, the main premiership, and the World Club Challenge all at once.
Contents
Team History
After the "Super League war" in the mid-1990s, the Illawarra Steelers were having money problems. It looked like they might not survive past 1999. The St. George Dragons helped create a plan for a joint team. This team would play in both Kogarah and Wollongong. St. George would provide the money, and Illawarra would bring more young players and fans.
The NRL wanted to reduce the number of teams. They offered money and easier rules for clubs that joined together. So, the Dragons and Steelers formed the league's first joint team on 23 September 1998. This helped them both survive.
Early Years (1999–2002)
Since a joint team was a new idea, everyone watched to see if it would work. People wondered how players from two different clubs would play together. They lost their first game but soon started to play well. They finished in the top eight teams by the end of the season. In the semi-finals, they beat the Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters, and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks to reach the Grand Final.
In the 1999 Grand Final, the Dragons were leading 14–0 at halftime. A huge crowd of 107,999 watched. It looked like they would win a championship in their first year. But Melbourne came back. The Dragons were leading 18–12 in the last minutes. Melbourne scored a controversial "penalty try" after a tackle. This gave Melbourne a 20–18 lead and the win.
In the 2000 NRL season, the Dragons had a tough start. They lost 70–10 to the Melbourne Storm. This was their biggest loss ever. It was the first time they played Melbourne since the 1999 Grand Final. In May, Anthony Mundine surprisingly left the team to become a boxer. The main coach, David Waite, was replaced by Andrew Farrar. After this change, the Dragons had their biggest win ever, beating the New Zealand Warriors 54–0. Even though they missed the finals, Trent Barrett won the Dally M Medal as the best player in the league.
Nathan Brown's Era (2003–2008)
In 2003, Nathan Brown became the coach. He was only 29, making him the youngest coach in the league's history. The team finished 10th that year.
In 2004, the team made an amazing comeback against Manly. They were losing 34–10 but came back to win 36–34. This was one of the biggest comebacks in Australian Rugby League history. They finished 5th but lost in the first round of the finals.
In 2005, the Dragons had a bad start, losing 5 of their first 6 games. But they turned it around and finished second on the ladder. They beat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the finals but lost to the Wests Tigers in the next game.
In 2006, the club had a seven-game winning streak in the middle of the season. They finished 6th. In the finals, they beat the Brisbane Broncos and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. But they lost to the Melbourne Storm and were out of the competition.
The 2007 season was tough due to injuries to key players like Mark Gasnier. They finished 13th, their lowest finish at that time.
In 2008, Nathan Brown's time as coach ended after another poor start. The team finished 7th but lost in the first round of the finals to Manly. This era was frustrating for fans, as the team had strong players but didn't win a premiership.
Wayne Bennett's Success (2009–2011)
In 2009, Wayne Bennett became the new coach. Several new players joined the team. They were consistently first on the ladder and had a seven-game winning streak. They won the minor premiership, meaning they finished first before the finals. However, they lost both their finals matches and were knocked out.
In 2010, the team won its second minor premiership in a row. They were the first NRL team to do this. They led the competition for 21 straight weeks.
St. George Illawarra beat Manly 28–0 in the first week of the 2010 finals. They then beat Wests Tigers 13–12 to reach the 2010 NRL Grand Final.
In the Grand Final, St. George Illawarra defeated the Sydney Roosters 32–8. This was the club's first Grand Final win. Darius Boyd won the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player in the game. This win ended 31 years of waiting for St. George fans.
The Dragons started their 2011 season well. They won their first World Club Challenge by beating Wigan Warriors 21–15. In March 2011, it was announced that Coach Bennett would leave the club after the 2011 season.
Coaching Changes (2012 – Present)
Steve Price became the new coach in 2012. The team narrowly missed the finals, finishing 9th. Key players like Ben Hornby and Dean Young retired. The 2013 season was difficult with injuries and inconsistent play. The team finished 14th.
In 2014, Paul McGregor took over as coach. The team improved and returned to the finals in 2015.
In the 2017 NRL season, the Dragons started strong, leading the competition for the first eight rounds. However, they then had a dramatic drop in form. They lost their final game against Canterbury, missing out on a finals spot.
The 2018 NRL season saw new star players join, like James Graham and Ben Hunt. The team had a successful year and returned to the finals. They won their first finals game in 8 years, beating the Brisbane Broncos 48–18. They then lost a close game to South Sydney.
In August 2018, WIN Corporation bought the remaining share of the club from the Illawarra Steelers. Now, the St. George Dragons and WIN Corporation each own 50% of the club.
The 2019 NRL season was disappointing. The team finished 15th and missed the finals. Coach Paul McGregor's contract was ended in August 2020. Dean Young took over as interim coach. The club finished 12th in 2020.
Anthony Griffin became coach for the 2021 NRL season. In July 2021, 13 players were fined for breaking COVID-19 rules by attending a party. The team finished 11th, missing the finals for the third year in a row. They finished 10th in 2022.
In March 2023, it was announced that Griffin's contract would not be renewed. He was let go in May 2023. Shane Flanagan was announced as the new coach for 2024. The team finished 16th in 2023.
In the 2024 NRL season, many people thought the Dragons would finish last. But they surprised everyone with wins against strong teams. They needed one more win to make the finals but lost their last two games, finishing 11th.
Team Colors and Jerseys
Team Name and Logo
The St. George Illawarra Dragons' team colors are red and white. Both the St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers used these colors. The new team's logo came from the St. George logo. It had "Illawarra" added to the bottom. The logo shows the long history of the St. George Dragons, including their amazing 11 straight championships from 1956 to 1966.
The club's nickname is "Dragons," which is a shorter version of "Dragonslayers," the original nickname for St. George. The logo features a red shield with a picture of St. George, and a white Dragon on top. The words "ST. GEORGE" and "ILLAWARRA" are above and below the shield.
In October 2024, the Dragons updated their main logo for digital use. The original shield logo will still be on their jerseys. The new digital logo is simpler but still honors the club's history. The dragon in the new logo comes directly from the traditional shield.
Team Jerseys
When the St. George Illawarra Dragons were formed in 1998, they decided to use the famous "Red V" jersey of St. George as their main jersey. This jersey was first used in 1945. The red color was changed to the scarlet red used by the Steelers.
The team's first alternate jersey had red and white horizontal stripes. This was like the 1921 St. George jersey. Since 2006, this striped jersey is only used for special occasions as a "Heritage Jersey." They wear it during "Heritage Round" games against rivals like the Bulldogs RLFC.
In 2004 and 2005, the club used a jersey similar to the Steelers' main jersey for Heritage matches. This jersey was mostly red with white stripes on the sleeves. Over the years, the alternate jersey designs have changed with different sponsors, but the "Red V" remains the main jersey.
Home Grounds
The Dragons have two main home grounds, showing that they are a joint club:
- WIN Stadium (since 1999)
- Jubilee Oval (since 1999, with some breaks)
Half of the Dragons' home games are played at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. This used to be the home of the Illawarra Steelers. The other half are played at Jubilee Oval in Kogarah, which was the home of the St. George Dragons.
The club has also played Sydney home games at other stadiums like the Sydney Football Stadium and Stadium Australia. They also play their special Club ANZAC Game against the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Right Game Right Venue Strategy
In 2013, the club agreed to move some of their home games to bigger stadiums in Sydney. This was to try and make these games as popular as the annual ANZAC Day game. They also wanted to have a special "Heritage Round" game against South Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Since the 2018 NRL season, most games (except the ANZAC clash and one other) are shared equally between Kogarah and Wollongong.
Leagues Clubs
The St. George Illawarra Dragons are supported by two separate Leagues clubs. One is in the St. George area, and the other is in the Illawarra area.
St. George Dragons Club
The St. George Leagues Club is in Beverley Park, near Jubilee Oval. It was built in 1963 and was known for its white marble. The club has been renovated many times and is now a very modern club.
Illawarra Steelers Club
The Steelers Club is in Wollongong, next to WIN Entertainment Centre and WIN Stadium. It opened in 1990. The club has faced financial challenges. However, after changes to its operations, it became profitable. Part of the club was sold to Bruce Gordon, who owns WIN Corp.
Season Summaries
The St. George Illawarra Dragons have had many seasons in the NRL. Here's a quick look at their performance:
- 1999: Runners Up (lost Grand Final)
- 2009: Minor Premiers (finished first on ladder)
- 2010: Minor Premiers and Premiers (won Grand Final)
- 2011: World Club Challenge Champions
- Finals Appearances: The Dragons have made the finals 12 times since 1999.
Coaches
The Dragons have had several coaches since they formed:
- David Waite (1999–2000)
- Andrew Farrar (1999–2002)
- Nathan Brown (2003–2008)
- Wayne Bennett (2009–2011)
- Steve Price (2012–2014)
- Paul McGregor (2014–2020)
- Dean Young (2020)
- Anthony Griffin (2021–2023)
- Ryan Carr (2023)
- Shane Flanagan (2024 – present)
Supporters
Many St. George Illawarra supporters come from the St. George district in Sydney and the Illawarra region in NSW. The club also has many fans in south-east Queensland and across New South Wales. At the end of the 2023 NRL season, the club had nearly 20,000 members.
Famous Supporters
Many well-known people support the Dragons, including:
- Bryan Brown, actor
- Sally Fitzgibbons, professional surfer
- John Howard, former Prime Minister of Australia
- Morris Iemma, former Premier of New South Wales
- Brett Lee, former Australian cricketer
- Chris Minns, current Premier of New South Wales
- Mitchell Starc, Australian cricketer
- Mark Taylor, former Australian cricket captain
- Alexander Volkanovski, mixed martial arts fighter
Team Rivalries
The St. George Illawarra Dragons have inherited some strong rivalries and created new ones.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
The Dragons have a strong rivalry with their neighbors, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. St. George beat Canterbury 91–6 in 1935, which is still a record. But Canterbury won their first championship before St. George's famous 11 straight wins.
These two teams have met in many important games. Canterbury ended St. George's 11-year winning streak in 1967. They also played in the 1942, 1979, and 1985 Grand Finals. Since the joint venture, they've met in the finals in 2001 and 2015. In 2017, Canterbury beat the Dragons in the last game of the season, which stopped the Dragons from making the finals.
The two teams are rivals in the annual NRL Heritage Round. Their fans also live close to each other in areas like Arncliffe and Kingsgrove.
Parramatta Eels
The Dragons and Parramatta Eels have had many competitive games. Their rivalry goes back to 1977, when St. George and Parramatta played the first-ever drawn Grand Final.
Many of their matches have been controversial. In 2005, a fight broke out between players. In 2006, they played a very low-scoring game that ended 8–1.
In the 2009 finals, the Dragons, who were minor premiers, lost to the 8th-placed Parramatta. This was a surprise, especially since the Dragons had beaten Parramatta 37–0 just a week before.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
The Dragons have a very strong rivalry with their southern neighbors, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Cronulla was originally part of the St. George junior area. Some people call Cronulla St. George's "little brother."
Cronulla's first coach and captain were both former St. George players. Both clubs have won one premiership each. In 1999, Cronulla finished first, but the Dragons beat them in the preliminary final to reach the Grand Final.
Both clubs have been accused of taking players from each other. They also compete for fans in the same region. In 1999, the Cronulla CEO famously cut up a St. George jersey after a game. The rivalry grew during the Super League war because Cronulla joined the rival league, while St. George and Illawarra stayed loyal to the ARL.
They met in the finals in 2002 and 2005. In 2009, former Dragons captain Trent Barrett switched to Cronulla. In 2023, the Dragons had their worst-ever loss to Cronulla, losing 52-16.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
St. George won 15 championships before joining with Illawarra. The South Sydney club has won the most championships with 21. South Sydney and St. George played in many Grand Finals before the joint venture.
One of the biggest games in this rivalry is the Charity Shield. This is a pre-season game between the two teams. It was stopped after 1999 but brought back in 2002.
In 2001, South Sydney's chairman said the Charity Shield would not return if Souths rejoined the NRL. This was because St. George had supported keeping Souths out of the competition. In 2018, the two teams met in a finals game for the first time since 1984. Souths won a very close game 13–12.
Sydney Roosters
St. George also has a strong rivalry with the Sydney Roosters. St. George won their first championship by beating Easts (now Roosters) in the 1941 Grand Final.
In 1975, Eastern Suburbs beat St. George 38–0 in the Grand Final. This was the biggest winning margin in a Grand Final until 2008.
During the Super League war in 1995, there were talks about Easts merging with St. George. Fans of both clubs were very angry, and the merger didn't happen. The St. George Illawarra Dragons and Sydney Roosters play each other every year in the Club ANZAC Game. This tradition started in the 1970s and has been played annually since 2002.
Since the joint venture, the two clubs have met in the finals twice. The Dragons won in 1999 and again in the 2010 NRL Grand Final, where they won their first premiership as a joint team.
Club Records
(As of the end of the 2023 season)
Player Records
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Most Games for the Dragons
Top 10 Try Scorers
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Most Points for the Dragons (300+ )
Top 10 Goal Kickers
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- Bold – Active players
Team Records
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Biggest Wins
Most Consecutive Wins
Biggest Comeback
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Biggest Losses
Most Consecutive Losses
Worst Collapse
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Women's Team
In December 2017, the St. George Illawarra Dragons wanted to have a team in the first-ever NRL Women's season. In March 2018, they were given one of four spots for the league's first season, which started in September 2018. Daniel Lacey was chosen to coach the team.
In June 2018, Sam Bremner, Kezie Apps, and Talesha Quinn were the first three players to sign with the club.
Women's Season Summaries
| Competition | Games Played (FINALS) |
Games Won (FINALS) |
Games Drawn (FINALS) |
Games Lost (FINALS) |
Ladder Position |
P | R | M | F | W | NRL Nines | Coach | Captain | Notes |
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| 2018 NRL Women's season | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4/4 | X | — | Daniel Lacey | Sam Bremner | |||||
| 2019 NRL Women's season | 3(1) | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 2/4 | X | X | — | Runners Up | |||||
| 2020 NRL Women's season | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4/4 | X | X | X | X | X | Winners | Sam Bremner, Kezie Apps | ||
| 2021 NRL Women's season | 3(2) | 4(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 1/6 | X | X | X | — | Jamie Soward | Kezie Apps, Keeley Davis | Runners Up |
Images for kids
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Outside Jubilee Oval, that includes a Walk of Fame
See also
- Illawarra Steelers
- St. George Dragons
