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
2. Brent Kite
Born in Queanbeyan and having spent three years in the Canberra Raiders lower-grades after graduating from Erindale College, Brent Kite made his debut for the Dragons against local rivals the Sharks in 2002.
Kite forged a reputation as a back-rower in his early days at the Dragons with notable size and strength, before being transitioned to prop by Nathan Brown in his final season at the Dragons in 2004.
After showing great promise in the prop position and playing all three Origins for NSW in the 2004 series, the Dragons decided to release Kite due to salary cap constraints, and the NSW representative was snapped up by the Sea Eagles on a four-year deal.
An extremely mobile forward for a man of his size, Kiteโs move to the peninsula would prove to be an inspired one, with the Canberra junior cementing himself as one of the finest props in the game and featuring regularly for the Blues and Kangaroos over the following years.
While at the time Kite was one of the most sought-after players on the market, no one at Manly would have expected what Kite went onto achieve at Brookvale. In his nine years at the Sea Eagles, Kite would feature 221 times, win two premierships, and win a Clive Churchill medal thanks to his efforts in the 2008 Grand Final.
While Kiteโs swansong at Penrith finished sadly due to a broken leg, the Tongan representative can look back on his career with great fondness having racked up 20 tests for Australia and Tonga, as well as 10 Origins for NSW, achievements that no doubt Dragons fans and hierarchy wished he could have done in the Red V.
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.