Rugby league: Dragons chant mantra of big 'D'

BIG RED V: Leeson Ah Mau (left) and Jason Nightingale hope to breathe some fire into the Dragons' campign tonight. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

THE BIG "D" is the word in the Melbourne Storm versus St George Illawarra Dragons match in Napier tonight and no one knows what that means better than Jason Nightingale.

The 28-year-old Dragons winger runs like the wind, crash tackles and is never shy to join the welcome party on defence, something he will be in the thick of in the 7.30pm kick-off in a historic first NRL match at McLean Park.

Nightingale has 85 tries since his debut for the Big Red V in 2007. In his surging runs the 25-test Kiwi veteran international has a propensity to charge into the forwards but is equally adept at defying gravity to defuse bombs or follow-up high kicks to score tries.

"We don't need to reinvent [ourselves] because we were doing a lot of things well prior to the [State of] Origin Series, so we need to build ourselves in defence because we've leaked quite a few points lightly. We need to get back to building some dominance," he said yesterday, revealing the Dragons were confident in their ability to muster points in pursuit of the remaining several games to make the top eight.

Despite betting agencies' favouritism of the Storm, St George are only two points away from hopping up the ladder to breathe down their necks.

"The earlier you start winning ... the more flexibility you've got to going back into the season and probably enjoy playing your footy more," Sydney-born Nightingale said on the platform of six losses on the trot. But the prudent will note the early-season table toppers have lost a lion's share of those games by narrow margins.

Auckland-born teammate Leeson Ah Mau, 25, said defence was their mantra this week.

"I'm enjoying my footy in the middle this year but we, the forwards, have a big job ahead of us here," said the prop who will have Mitch Rein, captain Ben Creagh, Tyson Frizell, Joel Thompson and Mike Cooper alongside him, to walk into the eye of the Storm.

Ah Mau, a Samoan international, is looking forward to having his parents and sisters at McLean Park today.

Coming on a downward spiral, Nightingale said a change of scenery (Napier) was going to be a fillip for the Dragons.

"Ideally we're not going to Melbourne, facing them ... it's their stronghold down there and getting away from Sydney is really nice too."

He regards their run of losses "a bit of a head spinner" but the collective felt their matches against the Roosters and Bulldogs weren't quite up to scratch, but had no cigar against the others, as a spate of injuries added to their woes.

Tonight the expectation is of incremental improvement with the return of marquee players.

He felt if the media had their way, halfback Benji Marshall should be having a big game every time but all senior players needed to share that burden.

Returning to Wellington to face the Warriors in a fortnight was actually beneficial because they would remain in travel mode, as opposed to chopping and changing their preparation between home and road games.

"We've also got the benefit of spending a lot of time together," said Nightingale who is keen to tour with the Kiwis at the end of the year.

While a poster boy for a squeaky clean image, Nightingale isn't averse to the idea of having a good time.

"I think, probably, the main part I spend time with my teammates and I'm very careful at those times.

"On the times I'm with my friends, it's a lot easier to fly under the radar because you're with a group of blokes who look after you, because there are certain situations where you can get exposed but I have a great group around me," Nightingale said, emphasising his wife plays just as much of a pivotal role.

This week he signed a two-year deal to remain with the Dragons after a concerted effort from the Warriors to lure him.

MATCH DETAILS

WHO: Melbourne Storm v St George Illawarra Dragons.

WHEN: Today, 7.30pm.

WHERE: McLean Park, Napier.

STORM: 1. Cameron Munster, 2. Marika Koroibete, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Tohu Harris, 5. Richard Kennar, 6. Blake Green, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith (c), 10. Tim Glasby, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Kenny Bromwich, 13. Ryan Hinchcliffe.

Interchange: 14. Dale Finucane, 15. Mahe Fonua, 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 17. Christian Welch.

DRAGONS: 1. Josh Dugan, 2. Justin Hunt, 3. Euan Aitken, 4. Peter Mata'utia, 5. Jason Nightingale, 6. Gareth Widdop, 7. Benji Marshall, 8. Leeson Ah Mau, 9. Mitch Rein, 10. Ben Creagh (c), 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Joel Thompson, 13. Mike Cooper.

Interchange: 14. Jack de Belin, 15. Jake Marketo, 16. Heath L'Estrange, 17. Will Matthews, 18. Drew Hutchison, 20. Mark Ioane.