2 May 2011

Dragons thump Eels to go top of NRL

6:11 am on 2 May 2011

Wayne Bennett revealed the driving force behind the Dragons' sizzling start to their Naional Rugby League title defence, but lamented the toll the representative season would take on his side after their 30-nil whitewash of Parramatta at Jubilee Oval.

Their seventh win in eight games moved the Dragons into top spot above Brisbane on points differential, while Parramatta slumped to their fifth loss.

Renowned for dour, defence-dominated play, the Dragons proved they could be pretty as well as gritty, particularly in the first half.

Eight Dragons were named in either Friday's Anzac Test or the City-Country game, while injuries ruled out Gasnier and Dean Young.