NRL: Dragons leave it late to see off Bulldogs

Jeremy Smith takes a hit-up during last night’s trial against the Bulldogs. Photo / Getty Images

WOLLONGONG - So this is why they play trials.

St George Illawarra and Canterbury, the two teams that finished one and two on the ladder at the end of last year's NRL regular season, produced a lacklustre exhibition of rugby league which the Dragons won 16-14 thanks to a try on the bell at WIN Stadium on Saturday night.

Jamal Idris's second half double - the first coming with his first touch of the ball - looked like it had done enough to secure victory for the visitors only for Joe Vickery to cross out wide for the home side with less than a minute left on the clock.

Bronx Goodwin then secured the win with a conversion from wide out but the thrilling finish belied a poor match dominated by dropped ball and a plethora of penalties.

Both sides sent out near full-strength sides for the opening stanza but the game more resembled something you would find in park football given the litany of basic errors on display.

The highlight of the first half was actually a lowlight, with Peni Tagive, who came to the Dragons after two injury-plagued years with Wests Tigers, suffering a suspected torn cruciate ligament which could sideline him for the year.

Dragons coach Wayne Bennett could have been excused for sending the same players that played the first half back out there for another attempt at playing some decent football but he stuck to the script with a new side in new jumpers coming out after the break.

Matt Prior, who played the first half in the front row, was sent out in the centres to replace Tagive where he was marking up against 2009 rookie of the year Idris who had sat on the bench for the opening half.

It didn't take long for Idris to make his mark as he brushed past Prior for the game's first points in the 45th minute, Heka Nanai extending the lead shortly after.

Michael Lett made it 8-4 when he raced 70m after picking up a loose ball, but a spectacular bust from Ben Hannant found Idris in support as the Dogs again kicked away.

A Jon Green try 13 minutes from time revived the hopes of the home fans, their optimism justified when Vickery crashed through several defenders.

Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward was surprisingly upbeat after the game, claiming there were enough positives to come out of the performance despite the lack of action on the scoreboard in the first half.

"I think you compare it to last year we're leaps and bounds ahead and that's holding us in good stead for round one," Soward said.

"We had plenty of ball and we created heaps of opportunities, just either the final pass or the ball slipped out - it's just one of those games.

"We're not too worried about not scoring points."

Tagive, who had his family in the sheds with him soon after being taken from the field, was still coming to terms with his injury.

"I'm still a bit shocked but that happens - I just have to rehab it this year and bounce back next year I guess," Tagive said.

"I've been in that situation a few times at the beginning of my career with both shoulders having had recos."

Asked what advice Bennett had for him, Tagive said:

"Just keep my head up, I'm only still young - just be positive from now."

- AAP