St George Illawarra sit second from bottom after 15 games, with one win, only six points, and a -235 points differential. After a 10-6 half-time lead slipped to a 10-6 loss against the Canberra Raiders, Luke Keary says the Dragons may be on track to become the
When St George Illawarra opened the scoring and led 10-6 at half-time against the Canberra Raiders, it looked like they might finally steady their season.
Instead, the second half turned into something familiar. They finished with a 75 percent completion rate, eight errors, and 11 missed tackles—handing the Raiders the initiative after the break. And for a club that has already endured 15 games with just one win. it meant the gap at the bottom of the NRL ladder stayed brutal.
They are propping up the table with only six points and a points differential of -235. With the clock running down on the season, former Sydney Roosters star Luke Keary believes the situation is shaping into the kind of record nobody wants.
Keary pointed to Newcastle Knights 2016—when they finished with one win and one draw—as the benchmark to watch. “We’re on worst team of all time watch here,” he said. “Newcastle Knights 2016: one win, one draw. That’s one to watch for the rest of the season.”
He added that purists will remember those old results for the right reasons, but the nature of the struggle is what will haunt St George Illawarra if they can’t at least salvage something before the season ends.
Against Canberra, the frustration wasn’t only about the scoreboard—it was about how close St George Illawarra got, and how often they couldn’t convert pressure into points.
They created pressure in the Raiders’ territory, making 40 tackles in the red zone and generating strong field position on multiple occasions, but they failed to pick up a single point from that advantage. The match swung on mistakes and discipline lapses after the break.
Even their moments of promise came with their own problems. Canberra’s Simi Sasagi was the clearest standout, carrying 24 times for 198 metres, while St George Illawarra’s inability to finish off chances left them searching for answers they couldn’t find in time.
Dragons coach Dean Young didn’t hide his disappointment. He said he was frustrated by refereeing decisions, but he also made it clear the loss came down to his side’s execution in the key moments.
“I’m just disappointed for the boys with the effort they’ve put in. Our preparation for the last month has been really good and that’s put us into a position to win footy games. ” Young said. “I thought the effort and style of footy that we want to play is right there. But our execution today wasn’t where it needed to be. I thought we left 18 points out there and gifted them 12.”.
Young said the responsibility sits with the team. “The execution is on us, we’ve got to own that. But I’m very disappointed on a couple of the bunker calls.”
The only win St George Illawarra have managed this season has come against the Brisbane Broncos, who themselves have struggled heavily.
Now the Dragons face a run of fixtures that could either pull them back from the edge or push them deeper into it. First up is a clash with the Wests Tigers, who are looking to stop a two-game losing streak. After that comes a much tougher test against the first-placed New Zealand Warriors. who have been in imperious form this year.
And then, a fixture that could decide how the season’s story ends: St George Illawarra will take on the Gold Coast Titans, who have managed just four wins this season. For the Dragons, it’s shaping as the biggest chance to avoid ending the year owning the label Luke Keary fears.
Because at this point, St George Illawarra’s problem isn’t only the losses—it’s what’s sitting behind them: a season that already has one win, six points total, a -235 points differential, and a looming opportunity to make sure the worst-team history doesn’t become theirs.
St George Illawarra Luke Keary Dean Young Canberra Raiders NRL ladder worst team in history points differential Simi Sasagi Wests Tigers New Zealand Warriors Gold Coast Titans