Similarly, to the Newcastle Knights, the St George Illawarra Dragons were left in the lurch after the departure of legendary coach Wayne Bennett and experienced some seriously lean years, having to contend with an aging and overpaid roster.
However, off the back of a major recruitment and retention overhaul led by club legend and now head coach Paul โMaryโ McGregor and Director of list management Ian Milward, the Dragons have assembled a roster stocked full of representative talent.
While the squad the Red V currently have at their disposal is impressive, this came about as a result of a large-scale revamp in Wollongong, with more than a few favourite sons of the club forced out the door.
Here are the top 10 players the Dragons have let go, not re-signed or released since 2000.
The players have been listed in accordance with the contribution they made whilst at the Dragons as well as considering the influence they have had at the clubs they left the Dragons for.
Honourable mentions: Brett Morris, Luke Bailey, Trent Merrin, Jamie Soward, Trent Barrett
7. Darius Boyd
While he may have had a slower start to 2019 than he would like, that shouldnโt take away from what 31-year-old Darius Boyd has achieved throughout his career.
After displaying great talent as winger coming through the ranks at the Broncos, Darius Boyd would follow father-figure Wayne Bennett to the Illawarra to join the Dragons ahead of the 2009 season.
Having not been afforded many opportunities in the number 1 whilst at Red Hill, Boyd was parachuted into the fullback role immediately at the Dragons and to great effect.
During his three-year, 71 game stint in the Red V, Boyd would cement himself as the premier ball-playing fullback in the game, regularly providing the final pass to a winger or centre out the back of block plays. This form would similarly make him the Maroons and Kangaroos go-to winger during his stint at the Dragons, forming a prolific combination with fellow Queenslander Greg Inglis at representative level.
After Wayne Bennett signed a four-year deal with the Newcastle Knights and having inserted a get-out clause should Bennett depart the club in his own contract, Boyd would once again follow his mentor to a new club.
While his time in the Hunter Valley may not have been as productive as he would have liked, Boyd has gone onto re-find his best form again after returning to Brisbane. Once again cementing himself as the NRLโs premier ball-playing fullback.
In that time Boyd has improved substantially, both on and off the field. Having mended his seemingly untenable relationship with the media, Boyd has gone onto be named the captain of the Broncos. Under his leadership, they would return to the top of the NRL pecking order and come within literally a second of a premiership against the Cowboys in 2015.
While his career has been littered with controversies, Boyd will still go down as the 2nd greatest try-scorer of all time for the Maroons, and in his day was a fine demonstration of how the fullback position has evolved in the professional era. Having lacked any ball-playing threat in the fullback jersey since his departure and a commanding leader in defence, the Dragons now can only wish that they held onto the Kangaroos stalwart.
Slow news day…
Firstly J Moz left because he could not get a start in front of Gasnier and then Gasnier left and came back half way through the premiership winning season (Obviously to get a ring) which the dragons didn’t need him. Signed for bihg bucks and screwrfd the dragons by retiring early. (He didn’t retire because of injury).
The rest such as Pattern, Ennis, Cook left very young. No one knew they were going to go onto better things
Well said – 100% agree with you.
I wish we could add Tim Lafai to the list……..
Salary cap played a big part in this as did Gasnier with J Moz and Bennett also.
Another contributor is the youth coming through the system, the Dragons can’t keep everyone (ask Penrith fans they’ll agree)
and also injuries (Young, Creagh etc)
The only thing Dragons have got wrong imo is the way they’ve used some of the youth, relied to heavily on the old heads instead of blooding. For example all those times we played De Belin in the halves when younger players would’ve jumped at the chance.
Cheers
Bennet didn’t want J Moz, didn’t think he was up to it. J Moz did not want to leave. More fool us. Can’t believe Leeson Ah Mau isn’t on the list, awesome forward and how’s he going at the worriers?
Luke Bailey deserves far than an honourable mention, Iโd have him at 2 after Fitzgibbon. Iโm also surprised Riddell isnโt on the list, he was more of a loss than someone like Kite.