St. George Illawarra hold a 4-1 record after a stunning start to the 2021 season, but can they keep it up?
Despite being talked about as a wooden spoon chance in the pre-season, the Dragons now have a genuine chance to play finals.
Sportsday host Scott Sattler believes a side must have the right players in key positions to make finals and he had a look at the Dragons’ squad to see if they had the components of a top eight team.
“When it comes to the key positions, do they have the right players in these positions?,” Sattler asked on Sportsday.
“Front row they’ve got Paul Vaughan, he’s a State of Origin representative and I consider him a tremendous player.
“At hooker they’ve got Andrew McCullough, they tick the box there.
“Halfback you’ve got Ben Hunt, Adam Clune can play too, (Hunt) has played a lot of good footy and representative stuff as well. At five-eighth they’ve got Corey Norman, on his day he is very dangerous, he’s having a good season.
“You need a fullback that scores points, and they’ve got Matt Dufty, he absolutely can.
“I think in this day and age you need a big, damaging winger and they’ve got Mikaele Ravalawa, who’s another version of (Parramatta's) Maika Sivo.
“They’ve also got a damaging centre in Zac Lomax. When you look at all these key ingredients you need someone (to convert) and turn four into six and Lomax does that.
“I think they’ve got a good side all around.”
After looking at the squad, Sattler said he expects the side to play finals.
“The way they’re playing right now, 100 per cent they will make the eight,” he added.
“They’ve got the Warriors this week and that could take them to five from six, that doesn’t get them over the line but that’s a great start.
“Will they make the four? I think that’s stretching it, but stranger things have happened.”
The club’s next challenge comes against the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday afternoon at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.