<big>Dragons, Raiders back in Cup talks</big>
BY TIM BARROW
05 Nov, 2010 01:00 AM
A joint Dragons-Raiders NSW Cup team is back on the agenda, with the rival NRL clubs to meet next week about a proposal to play under the Shellharbour banner.
St George Illawarra, Canberra and NSWRL representatives on Tuesday will discuss sharing the costs of fielding a team in the NRL's second-tier competition.
Attempts were made to contact St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust about the talks as well as their preseason scheduling issues, with the club due to play in both the World Club Challenge (WCC) in England and the Charity Shield.
However, the Mercury was informed via a club spokesman that there was "nothing to report".
Canberra - who have Queensland Cup team Souths Logan as their feeder club - are hesitant about teaming up with the Dragons in the NSW Cup.
But Shellharbour are determined to receive better financial terms if they are to agree to a return to the NSW Cup next year and it is the only viable option for the Dragons.
The concept has been revived after a Raiders-Dragons deal with Carlton League premiers Wests collapsed.
The delicate discussions are among a number of issues threatening to unsettle St George Illawarra's premiership defence, still 17 days before the first group of players return for preseason training.
The Dragons had lobbied to move the WCC game against Wigan to Sydney to accommodate their other commitments, including the Charity Shield against South Sydney.
But the clash is set to be played in England at Wigan's DW Stadium on Sunday, February 27, the day after the NRL premiers are due to take on the Rabbitohs.
St George Illawarra are now desperate to move the date of the Charity Shield rather than cancel the game or allow another NRL club to play the Rabbitohs in their place.
With their first four NRL games away from home next year, because of redevelopment at both their Kogarah and WIN Stadium grounds, it could mean the Dragons will play in Wollongong, Sydney, Perth, England, the Gold Coast and Auckland before April.
The Mercury Challenge, which was to be played in Wollongong in February despite the western grandstand upgrade, is expected to be cancelled and the Perth clash offered to other NRL clubs.
The Steelers Club, which last year provided about $600,000 in funding to rugby league in the Illawarra, had been sounded out as a potential replacement for Shelharbour, but is in no position to provide backing for a NSW Cup outfit.
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