The Griffith Dragons have defeated the QUT Trouts 40-4 last Wednesday night, away at Bulimba.

The win marks a dominant return to the season for the Dragons, who currently sit three wins clear at the top of the URLQ ladder.

The Dragons started well, forcing a QUT error in just their second set in a routinely strong start from Griffith.

However, QUT gave the Dragons an early scare, scoring first in the 7^th minute to take an early 4-0 lead.

It only took five minutes for the Dragons to hit back – good carries on kick return and strength through the middle put the Dragons in attacking field position.

Griffith capitalised through prop forward Ben Rynsbergen, claiming a 6-4 lead.

QUT were kept out of the game early by typically strong performances by the Dragons middle forwards – forcing errors and not allowing QUT opportunities to score.

Pressure built by the Dragons culminated in a Walter Malie try in the 19^th minute, with slick passing from explosive centre Liam Sorensen allowing the Dragons to capitalise on the overlap.

Five-eighth Jack Day was instrumental in putting that try together – assisting a line break in the plays prior before creating the overlap down the right side for the Dragons to score.

A successful conversion took the Dragons lead to 12-4.

QUT did have some attacking opportunity towards the end of the half, however excellent defence from Griffith and errors from the Trouts piled the pressure on the home team.

The Dragons made the most of this pressure – scoring twice in the last five minutes to extend their lead to 24-4 going into the break.

The first, scored by co-captain Ben Standring powering through the middle, before dummy-half Jessie Osborne scored an excellent solo try right on the siren.

Both teams went set-for-set in the first ten minutes of the second half – QUT were unable to find a way back into the game.

Throughout this period returning Dragons winger Ethan Lawrence was outstanding: his work rate in defence providing a real impact from the wing.

Jessie Osborne was a game-breaker during this period – a chip n’ chase, and a line break off a scrum providing spark during this period.

Strong offloading from the Dragons was crucial in capitalising on the tiring QUT defence – a Ben Rysnbergen offload in the 53^rd minute to explosive centre Liam Sorensen saw the Dragons make significant inroads.

Subsequently, Jessie Osborne scored the first points of the second half in the 55^th minute, extending the Dragons lead to 30-4.

After failing a short kick-off attempt, QUT were able to wrestle some momentum back, giving themselves an attacking chance.

In a sign of how the match was panning out for the Trouts, they were able to strip the Dragons of numbers on an edge for what would have been only their second try of the match, before throwing the last pass forward.

Keen to rub salt into the would, a chip n’ chase from Jessie Osborne would get the Dragons down the other end of the field, before Osborne finished the set he started and completed his hattrick in the 62^nd minute.

QUT would bomb yet another try scoring opportunity thanks to an excellent try-saving tackle from Dragons halfback Lachlan Moore in the 65^th minute.

The Dragons would complete their win with a Devante Ioane try in the 70^th minute.

With regular goalkicker Jessie Osborne off the field, prop forward Ben Rynsbergen would step up to nail a conversion, sealing a 40-4 win for the Dragons.

As always, the Dragons forward pack was strong.

Tough carries and solid defence laid the platform for the entire fixture, where strength in the team’s outside backs complimented the forwards.

Speaking after the match, coach Rob Lewis was impressed with his team’s resilience.

“We went behind for a quick try very early.

“We came back and we dominated.

“From there, it was all Dragons all the way.”

Lewis puts his teams’ defensive strength down to their hard work in training.

“The lads turn up to train week in, we put the hard hits in and we put the hard work in.

“It pays on game day.”

Lewis was particularly impressed with the performance of hattrick scorer Jessie Osborne.

“This is a lad that came to me pre-season saying, I really don’t know how to play rugby league because I’m from New Zealand and I played rugby union,” Lewis said.

“I said, you’re alright, you’re okay, it’s just a ball, you run with it, yeah?

“And he’s proved to me, and he’s proved to himself how good he is.

“Every game turns up, the lads look for him to inspiration and he puts them on the front foot every time.”

Osborne was less inclined to take the credit for himself, focussing on the strength in resolve the Dragons showed.

“For me, it’s just backpacking off the boys.

“All the hard work from them, started in training.

“Honestly, you won’t get anywhere against their defence.”

The Dragons halves were also both highly influential; halfback Lachlan Moore controlled the game well with his kicking and ball skills, while five-eighth Jack Day was instrumental in his involvements in most of the Dragons tries.

Coach Rob Lewis had high praise for his halfback’s performance.

“A big shout out to Lachlan Moore; Lachlan Moore was inspirational today,” he said.

Co-captain Ben Standring was also thrilled with Griffith’s performance.

“I thought it was great; everyone just turning up for each other,” he said.

“I think after we got through that first five minutes, it just all went uphill from there.”

Looking ahead, Standring is embracing the challenge ahead of an away game against UniSC on Wednesday night.

“I think we’re going to see probably a different Sunny Coast team than we saw when we were at home,” he said.

“I think we’ll all get together and I think the approach is just sticking together.

“Like right from the get-go, getting on the team bus, coming down and just putting on a job.

“That’s all it is.”

UniSC Spartans are expected to field a very strong team with experienced and accomplished players across high levels of rugby league, in what is shaping as the toughest challenge for the undefeated Dragons to date.