Dragons confirm home game venues

Further re-development works at OKI Jubilee Stadium will see the St George Illawarra Dragons play the majority of their early season home games at the Kogarah venue. The NRL released the 2007 schedule in mid-November, enabling the Dragons to determine the distribution of the home game program.

Dragons Chief Executive Officer Peter Doust said there were a number of issues to consider in making the decision including the building works at OKI Jubilee and venue clashes at WIN Stadium.

“We are very lucky to have two great venues within our region to play rugby league,” said Doust. “While the impact of the ongoing upgrade to OKI Jubilee Stadium is not ideal for our decision making, such a commencement date of works will try to ensure everything is back to normal in 2008.

“Part of our ongoing strategy is also to spread the opposition teams across our venues each year and we believe the venue allocation on balance, with all things taken into consideration, provides for an appropriate distribution of matches,” added Doust.

In 2007, the Dragons will host the Knights in their first home game at OKI Jubilee Stadium in Round 2 followed by the Storm (Rnd 5), Panthers (Rnd 8), Broncos (Rnd 12), Sharks (Rnd 13) and Sea Eagles (Rnd 16).

WIN Stadium will host the Cowboys (Rnd 3), Titans (Rnd 10), Raiders (Rnd 17), Bulldogs (Rnd 20), Rabbitohs (Rnd 22) and Eels (Rnd 24).

The Dragons will continue to honour their traditions with the St George Heritage game planned for Round 13 v Sharks; recognising 40 years of the “local derby” and Round 17 v Raiders the Illawarra Heritage game, as the Steelers and Raiders both entered the NSWRL competition in 1982.

The Dragons will play two pre-season matches, the first against the Bulldogs at WIN Stadium on February 24, followed by the traditional Charity Shield at Telstra Stadium v the Rabbitohs on March 6.