By Stuart Honeysett - Rugby League
The Australian
May 5th, 2003
BRYAN BROWN was sitting in the rebuilt grandstand. Prime Minister John Howard took time out from meetings with US President George W Bush to send a message of support. This was hardly your normal Sunday afternoon at the football.
Jubilee Oval at Kogarah, in southwestern Sydney, is a place of football legends, the place where the Dragons built the greatest era of dominance in the history of rugby league.
Yesterday the Dragons were back at their spiritual home to take on little brothers Cronulla – and it was as if they hadn't been away.
There have been concessions to modern rugby league, of course. After a $2 million to bring Kogarah up to standard, it is now Oki Jubilee Stadium, bearing one of those trendy corporate names that come and go at most grounds these days.
But thankfully some things haven't changed – like the fans. They flocked to Kogarah yesterday and all 16,713 of them proudly helped the big band belt out When the Saints Come Marching In.
But the most significant thing about the ground is that the Dragons are almost impossible to beat there.
Cronulla learned that in the local derby yesterday. The Sharks' winless streak stretched to six and, judging by the Dragons' form, they definitely won't be the last to taste defeat on the Kogarah dirt this season.
But the current crop of Dragons players have a long way to go before they start to emulate the deeds of yesteryear.
St George did not lose a game there for 13 seasons between 1954-66, a golden period which resulted in 11 successive premierships from 1956.
According to coach Nathan Brown, who played the last game at the old Kogarah against Penrith in 1999, yesterday was a step in the right direction.
"The SFS was a home ground to everybody – everybody loves playing there," Brown said of the Dragons' Sydney home since 1999.
'Obviously Easts (Sydney Roosters) have been there for a long time, but for St George it was just a stopover.
"But here is somewhere where we train and we've been here for years and traditionally it's our ground. Even though the ground we play at shouldn't affect the performance, in some areas the players do like being here."
The Dragons' homecoming was the highlight of round eight, which saw Canberra retain their unbeaten record, against South Sydney on Saturday night. There could be further rewards for the competition leaders this week, with the club poised to announce a major sponsor.
The Raiders have been in negotiations with several potential backers, including Wests Tigers' major sponsor Raddison Maine.
"We've talked to a couple of people and the fact we've received a lot of publicity over not having a major sponsor has probably helped us," Canberra chief executive Simon Hawkins yesterday. "The deal will be between two or three years and I certainly hope to announce a few more details about it this week."
The Rabbitohs, meanwhile, were considering lodging an official complaint with the NRL over several controversial decisions, including not awarding a penalty try when five-eighth Jamie Russo was held back as he chased through a kick.
"The referee I spoke to said there was interference but it wasn't great and he didn't believe the interference warranted a penalty try," NRL referees boss Robert Finch said.
Souths were also unhappy with the performance of video referee Tim Mander, with Raiders' coach Matt Elliott admitting on Sydney radio yesterday the offside calls could have gone either way.
"I haven't spoken to the video ref, but from where I was I believe they were both tries," Finch said.
Manly could be in hot water after trainer Des Hasler was waved off the field by referee Sean Hampstead during the Sea Eagles' one-point loss to Penrith at Penrith Stadium on Saturday night. The NRL has already fined the club this season for the same offence.
"The clubs have been warned quite clearly at the start of the year that each time we have to breach them for a trainers' offence, that there will be an increase in the penalty each time we do it," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley warned yesterday.
"But I'm not saying he has breached in this case because I think we need to look at the video and review it."
© The Australian