The St George Illawarra Dragons have encountered yet another setback in their troubled season, as their merchandise truck crashed while heading to a match in Wollongong. This incident comes on the heels of a winless start to the season, intensifying the pressure on coach Shane Flanagan ahead of a crucial round six showdown against Manly, which many consider a must-win for the club.
Images circulating on social media revealed the merchandise vehicle, adorned with Dragons branding, overturned on its side. A statement from the club confirmed that the trailer was involved in a single-vehicle accident on the M1 highway near Mount Ousley, occurring on a downhill bend. Fortunately, no injuries were reported for the driver.
The Dragons’ ongoing struggles are not confined to on-field performance, prompting significant changes as they prepare to face Manly at WIN Stadium. Flanagan has made several alterations to the lineup in a bid to revive the team’s fortunes. Kyle Flanagan will take up the halfback position, Daniel Atkinson is shifting to five-eighth, and Tyrell Sloan will step in for the injured Clint Gutherson at fullback. Meanwhile, young back-rower Jacob Halangahu has been dropped from the squad following his limited impact in last week’s disappointing 32-0 defeat to the Cowboys.
The highly anticipated match is set to kick off at 6 pm AEST, as the Dragons seek to turn their season around amidst mounting challenges.