The St George Illawarra Dragons struggled significantly on Sunday night.
There's no denying it.
They didn't simply have a tough outing or face some misfortune. They were frankly dreadful, marking their fourth consecutive loss in the 2026 NRL season.
Although the Gold Coast Titans didn't deliver a stellar performance, they managed to secure a much-needed victory under Josh Hannay's guidance, overcoming a challenging penalty count. Arama Hau, with his superb running angles, was pivotal in dismantling the Dragons' defense.
The Dragons were careless with the ball and demonstrated poor lateral movement along with glaring defensive errors. Hau's two tries resembled mere training drills.
Despite benefiting from a favorable penalty count early on and dominating possession in the first half, the Dragons only headed into halftime with a mere six-point lead. They couldn't muster any offensive response in the second half, allowing the Gold Coast to convert two tries and two penalty goals for the win.
As a supporter of the Dragons, I can confirm that the game was painful to watch-and certainly exhausting to listen to for those around me.
The Dragons have now faced eight straight defeats (four in 2025 and four in 2026), following a season that, while somewhat hopeful, was riddled with perplexing moments and narrow losses.
The primary concern lies with Shane Flanagan's resistance to altering his line-up. His players seem to be playing with an unsettling sense of job security.