Heartbreak: Reece Robinson scored a hat-trick of tries for Canberra on Monday night. Picture: Melissa Adams
DEFIANT St George Illawarra coach Steve Price has promised his side will fight on despite a disappointing last-gasp loss to Canberra on Monday night.
The defeat has seen the Dragons, who have a bye this weekend, fall four points outside a top eight finish, and the team now in danger of missing the finals for the first time since 2007.
But Price remained firm the side could work their way back to form.
‘‘You can’t drop your head,’’ Price said. ‘‘You’ve got to fight your way out of this. We’re still in there with a fight and we’ll continue to do that.’’
The team’s 22-18 loss against the Raiders on Monday night continued the Dragons’ bizarre run of poor form in the nation’s capital.
St George Illawarra have now lost 10 consecutive matches at Canberra Stadium.
‘‘Maybe [the hoodoo] could be [true],’’ Price said.
‘‘If we had the answer we’d come away with the win.
‘‘It’s important that we keep working hard.
‘‘We created a lot of opportunities and defended our arses off.’’
The Dragons have a few days off with the bye, before facing Cronulla Sharks in a local derby clash at WIN Stadium on Sunday week, July 15.
‘‘We’ll go away for a week and come back and reassess,’’ Price said.
ST George Illawarra’s under-20s team had a last-ditch 32-30 win against Canberra on Monday night.
A second-half brace of tries to fullback Evander Cummins helped lead the charge, followed by three tries to his teammates in the final 10 minutes, to hand the Dragons an unlikely victory.