Dragons eliminate Roosters from finals race

The St George-Illawarra Dragons have ensured the Sydney Roosters will play no part in the 2005 National Rugby League finals series after recording a massive 44-6 victory in Wollongong tonight.

The 19,512 fans that packed into WIN Stadium were treated to a powerhouse performance by the Dragons, centre Mark Gasnier crossing for three tries and setting up another with a one-handed offload that is quickly becoming his trademark.

After scoring the opening try, the Roosters conceded 44 points without reply, their usually solid defence torn apart by a more dynamic and inspired opposition. Faced with the prospect of winning their last five matches to have any remote chance of reaching the top eight, the boys from Bondi appear likely to miss the finals for the first time in a decade.

They started promisingly enough, attacking the Dragons' line in the opening minutes and after a high-paced quarter hour, opened the scoring through an Amos Roberts 90-metre intercept try. But St George-Illawarra responded quickly, Gasnier registering his first for the night running onto a Trent Barrett inside pass close to the line.

Despite the commitment of both sides to play attacking, end-to-end football, the score remained locked at 6-all going into halftime, Dragons kicker Michael Ennis missed a penalty goal attempt right on the siren. But it was all St George Illawarra after the break, scoring six converted tries and a penalty goal to the Roosters zip.

Winger Colin Best put the Dragons in front almost immediately after the restart, Gasnier's brilliant offload sending Best down the right touchline and evading Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello to score. In the 48th minute, Wes Naiqama's 60-metre bust allowed Clint Greenshields to collect the ball from dummy half and dive over to extend the lead to 18-6.

Ennis made the score 20-6 with a 56th minute penalty but Gasnier soon capped a man-of-the-match performance with two tries in four minutes, securing his hat-trick and burying the Roosters. After diving over from dummy-half in the 64th minute, the NSW centre left Sydney floundering three minutes later with some deft footwork to effectively end the contest.

Shaun Timmins shook off some weak defence to further the embarrassment for the visitors and a try right on fulltime to Lance Thompson, Gasnier again involved, sent the local fans home ecstatic.

The Dragons now jump to third place on the ladder with a nice boost in points differential, so important with a number of sides level on points battling for finals places.

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