The Dragons lost in horrific fashion to a gallant Sea Eagles side on Sunday.
St George Illawarra Dragons captain and Queensland Maroons player Ben Hunt acknowledged that his kicking performance fell short during a shocking defeat to the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale on Sunday afternoon.
Even though the Dragons faced a Manly team without any substitutions for the entire second half, it was the home side that pulled away to secure a victory described as one of the club’s greatest achievements.
The Dragons were inefficient in attack for much of the game, plagued by poor decision-making and a severe lack of ball control.
After the match, Hunt acknowledged that his own kicking performance contributed to the outcome, emphasizing that turnovers were a significant issue for his team.
“I feel like we had plenty of chances, but we didn’t execute well. My kicking let us down, which gave them a lot of momentum. They’re a team that can capitalize on opportunities. We kept giving them easy possession, and as Flanno mentioned, Daly [Cherry-Evans] had a strong game,” Hunt remarked in the post-game press conference.
Despite entering the game with momentum from two consecutive wins and a dominant second-half performance against the Wests Tigers, the Dragons appeared far from their best. Coach Shane Flanagan admitted his team’s poor performance despite having opportunities to win, while also acknowledging Cherry-Evans and the impressive play of the Sea Eagles.
Flanagan expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity, emphasizing the Dragons’ poor execution that he believed cost them the game. He noted pivotal moments where they failed to convert scoring opportunities, crediting the Sea Eagles for their resilience.
“I thought we had a chance to win it. Our execution let us down; it was a game that could have swung either way. We were twice over the try line and couldn’t convert, but credit to them for hanging tough. Cherry-Evans had a standout performance, so we’ll regroup and bounce back,” Flanagan remarked.
Reflecting on the game, Flanagan acknowledged the team’s halftime confidence but admitted things unraveled in the second half. He highlighted critical moments where the Sea Eagles capitalized on scoring opportunities, praising Cherry-Evans for his effective kicking.
Flanagan also suggested that his team, not accustomed to consistent victories in recent seasons, might have felt overwhelmed by the occasion of pursuing a third consecutive win, especially in front of a capacity crowd at Brookvale.
Flanagan commented on the game as a learning opportunity for the team, emphasizing the need to minimize such experiences in the future. He noted that winning three consecutive games before the bye would have been ideal but acknowledged they fell short. Flanagan highlighted the significance of learning from the challenges faced, especially for players who may not be accustomed to such situations.
“We can use this as a growth opportunity. It’s important to learn from today and aim to avoid repeating these mistakes. Some of the boys haven’t been in this position for a while. We need to take lessons from this match, particularly in big games like today at Brookvale, and find ways to close out games,” Flanagan remarked.
In addition to the disappointing loss, the Dragons also faced the setback of losing Moses Suli to a hamstring injury during the pre-game warm-up. Looking ahead, they hope the upcoming bye week will provide sufficient time for Suli’s recovery before their next game against the Dolphins at home on June 30th.