Weekend Sports Preview | August 2, 2024 | Illawarra Mercury
WATCH: Illawarra Mercury sports reporters Jordan Warren and Agron Latifi preview the weekend ahead in local sport, including Dragons, Illawarra Rugby League, Group 7, Steelers, Illawarra Rugby, Illawarra Premier League, Wolves, and Stingrays. Video by Adam McLean
Category
đź—ž
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello Illawarra sports fans. Plenty of action happening and heading your way this weekend.
00:05Myself Jordan Warren from the Illawarra Mercury and my colleague Agron Latifi will be across everything.
00:10Mate, what's happening this weekend? Let's start with Saturday with some Illawarra Rugby League action.
00:14Yeah, big game at DAPTO showground. DAPTO are playing Thrill. Important game for both sides.
00:22Thrill are currently in second, but DAPTO really need to win to keep pace in the top four,
00:28just to stay in the top four, so that's a huge game. And it's also an important Illawarra Rugby game in Kiama.
00:34They're taking on Barrel. The top four of Illawarra Rugby is pretty much settled at the moment,
00:40but I think Kiama are probably the best placed team to challenge Shel Haven, to unbeatable Shel Haven.
00:49So there's only a couple of weeks left before the season ends, so it's a big game for them.
00:54Yeah, for sure. And then of course we've got the Dragons in action on Saturday night at 5.30pm at Amy Park.
00:59That's going to be a huge game for their season. Of course they've got a horrific record against the Storm,
01:04but the Dragons and Shane Flanagan's team really need to win to make sure that they're in that top eight race
01:10for the final few games of the season. How do you see this game going?
01:13Obviously the Storm are massive favourites heading into this one.
01:15They are massive favourites and they've got the spine back for the first time this season.
01:20They're going to win the minor premiership, I think.
01:25Dragons, as you mentioned, they haven't got a great record against Melbourne, especially in Melbourne,
01:30but it's such an important game for the Dragons.
01:33They've shown recently that they're stepping up for these big games.
01:38I think they can do it. I know it's a big call, but I think they've got a chance.
01:45Obviously we had that performance last week against Penrith,
01:48but if they put together a full 80-minute performance, which they haven't done for the majority of the season,
01:52they could be well on for that one.
01:54We'll move on to football action, the Illawarra Premier League.
01:57There's a massive game on Sunday, a top-of-the-table clash between Albion Park and Wollongong Olympics.
02:02Massive permutations for the league championship race there.
02:05Also the Wolves are in action against Rockdale.
02:08The lead is Rockdale on Sunday at Wynn Stadium, 3pm. That's a huge game.
02:12David Carney's side are really on their way to making finals this season in the NPL, so a massive game for them.
02:20And of course the Stingrays, they're in action at 5pm against Football NSW Institute on Sunday.
02:25They're in the club championship race. Their first grade and reserve grad teams are doing great stuff this season,
02:30so hopefully they can bring some silverware to the region.
02:33Mate, what else have we got? Of course we haven't covered Group 7.
02:35No, Group 7. Speaking of the Stingrays, the Stingrays are off Shell Harbour.
02:39They're taking on Milton on Sunday.
02:41The Stingrays needed to keep the season alive last week and they did with an important win.
02:46It's another important game for them with only a few rounds left.
02:50Both the Stingrays and Milton are there or thereabouts in the top five, so it's a big game for them too.
02:57Of course we should mention that the Harvey Norman Premiership Steelers are there in action at 12pm on Saturday against the Roosters.
03:04So a massive game for them too. They've gone three on the trot and second on the table.
03:08But across the weekend, head to the Illawarra Mercury website or app for all the latest coverage.
03:12We'll be across all of it.