Capital curse

[Renee]

Capital curse


Darius Boyd, in all his NRL premiership, Origin and Clive Churchill Medal glory, is still to celebrate a win in Canberra. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI

Sixty-three - the number of games the 2011 St George Illawarra players have played in Canberra since 2000.

Three - the number of times those players have come away from the nation's capital with the two competition points.

It's the damning statistic that only adds substance to claims the Raiders are the Dragons' bogey team.

Not since 2000 has St George Illawarra won in Canberra, losing nine consecutive matches in the ACT.

But the hoodoo extends beyond the club, with some on the Dragons' roster never having tasted success in Canberra with any other NRL team in their entire careers.

It's a curse that has plagued Kiwi international Nathan Fien for more than a decade.

The utility has played 10 games at Canberra Stadium for the Cowboys, Warriors and Dragons - but has never walked off a winner.

Besides Michael Weyman - who spent six years at the Raiders - Beau Scott (Cronulla), Jon Green (Bulldogs) and Adam Cuthbertson (Manly) are the only Dragons to have won a game in Canberra - albeit on one occasion each.

Darius Boyd, in all his NRL premiership, Origin and Clive Churchill Medal glory, is still to celebrate a win in the nation's capital, losing two matches for Brisbane and the Dragons since debuting in 2006.

The Raiders copped a 26-0 thumping from Melbourne on home soil last Sunday and appear ripe for the picking.

But Boyd insists the form guide is being thrown out the window in preparation for Monday night's clash, convinced the Raiders will come out firing.

"I don't know what it is," Boyd said. "We haven't won there since I've been here. It doesn't really matter about their past performances, it's the 80 minutes we play them on Monday."

Canberra-born playmaker Jamie Soward is well aware of his team's recent poor record against the Green Machine.

The Dragons have won just one of their last 13 matches against the Raiders, but Soward is confident his team has the mental capacity to overcome the Canberra curse.

"We haven't got a good record down there but I know this group is looking forward to the challenge," Soward said. "We'll definitely be ready for Monday."

Source: illawarramercury.com.au