You can’t blame St George Illawarra fans for booing after another ugly loss to the Warriors.

Just as you can’t blame Dean Young for the mess he has inherited from Shane Flanagan.

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The reality is that is now 15 straight losses for the Dragons dating back to the final month of last season, and 11 in a row this year.

But let’s remember Young has only been in charge for four of those games.

It still hasn’t stopped suggestions Young’s hopes of securing the full-time gig next year could be judged on wins and losses.

The argument is just ridiculous.

What we saw against the Warriors was another reminder of just how badly this roster lacks attacking strike and direction.

As in most games this season, the young Dragons pack at least got them into the field position to have a decent crack at scoring points.

But they just look completely clueless trying to convert their opportunities in good ball.

And the halves pairing of Kyle Flanagan and Dan Atkinson again failed to fire.

Luke Lewis labelled it “the worst attack” he had ever seen on ABC Radio.

It’s hard to argue with that.

And while I know it didn’t work with young Kade Reed at halfback a few rounds back, I reckon it’s time for Young to try something different again.

This is where I’d like to see Clint Gutherson get a shot in the halves.

With Scott Drinkwater arriving next season to take over at fullback, Gutherson’s long-term position is already unclear.

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Young’s plea to Dragons fans after loss | 03:41

We’ve also seen in recent weeks that centre is not his spot either.

But what Gutherson still possesses is experience and competitiveness.

The Dragons desperately need someone who is at least willing to demand the ball in the key moments, and Gutherson has always had a good pass selection.

Put Gutherson alongside either Flanagan or Atkinson against the Broncos this week and see if he can spark something.

It couldn’t look any worse than what we’ve seen so far this season.

The way they’re travelling, if the Dragons don’t try something a bit left-field it is very easy to see them going the entire season without winning a single game.

BURTON’S WARNING SHOT FIRED AT GUS

If Phil Gould’s intention to appear on James Graham’s podcast last week was to provide clarity around the future of the Bulldogs’ halves, it has backfired spectacularly.

In the wake of Matt Burton’s rampaging effort on Friday night, the debate has only intensified over who the club should be building the halves combination around moving forward.

Gould suggested on The Bye Round that Lachlan Galvin is not a long-term halfback.

Thanks scoop!

It’s only what the majority of experts and fans have been saying for the best part of the last year.

But then Burton produced the perfect reminder that he absolutely is a long-term five-eighth in the 30-20 win over the Storm.

Matt Burton had a big game. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

For me it just highlighted why Canterbury would be crazy not to make locking up Burton beyond 2027 one of the club’s biggest priorities, regardless of how good a player they think Galvin can become.

For months now there has been growing speculation that Burton could eventually become the odd man out at Belmore to accommodate Galvin’s long-term move into the six jersey.

But if anyone inside the Bulldogs hierarchy still believes Burton’s future should be at centre — or at another club entirely — Friday night should have ended that discussion.

This was Burton at his destructive best.

He absolutely terrorised the Storm to finish with 213 metres from 15 carries that included 70 post-contact metres, nine tackle busts, two linebreaks and a linebreak assist.

Throw in 327 kicking metres.

And while the Bulldogs have been quick to defend Galvin against criticism because of his age and inexperience, it’s also worth remembering Burton is still only 26 himself.

So that means he too is only now approaching an age where playmakers traditionally enter their best footballing years.

It’s been reported Burton will earn in excess of $1 million next season, while captain Stephen Crichton is also on marquee money.

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Dogs produce ‘season-saving’ comeback | 01:24

The argument is designed to suggest why it would be unrealistic having two centres on million-dollar deals.

But why should Burton be the one forced to take a pay cut if he could earn that money playing five-eighth somewhere else?

Gould conceded that while the Dogs wanted to keep Burton, his future may not be in the halves.

When pressed if Burton’s future was in the centres on the back of Gould’s recent talks with Luke Metcalf, Gould said: “Well you work it out, if he plays centre what are you going to pay him?

“And if you play him at five-eighth what could he earn?

“So he has got some decisions to make.

“We are very honest about the conversations. We are mates. Burton would have no problem walking out the door and getting a deal anywhere tomorrow to play five-eighth.”

While Gould did well to dodge giving a straight answer yet again, it was also interesting to note Burton’s pre-match comments on Fox League in an interview with Jake Duke.

When questioned how much emphasis he’d put on stepping up with his leadership in the absence of Crichton, Burton responded “not too much”.

Instead he said his focus was to “just be myself” and “do my role in the team. I just want to go there and back it up with my actions.”

He certainly did that with a performance that has well and truly put him in the shop front window if it turns out the Dogs don’t make him their priority.

Dogs snap streak after downing Storm | 03:52

FORAN PUTS END TO MANLY’S TURBO COP-OUT

For years, whenever Tom Trbojevic was injured, it was an automatic cop out for whenever Manly struggled.

Not under Kieran Foran.

The gritty 12-10 win over the Titans again showed just how much this side has toughened up since Anthony Seibold departed.

It’s now seven wins from eight games — and they are doing it without their superstar fullback.

And stand-in Clayton Faulalo was outstanding against the Titans, scoring a try and setting up the only other for Blake Wilson.

Faulalo’s numbers were enormous — 248 running metres from 21 carries, plus a linebreak and two linebreak assists.

That came after he also produced two try assists the previous week against the Tigers.

With Manly also missing Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolu Koula and the suspended Lehi Hopoate, this was another important statement.

Manly has finally learnt how to win without their best player — and that could make them an even more dangerous side when the finals roll around, regardless of Turbo’s ongoing fitness.

Foran proud despite scrappy Manly win | 07:19

PAYTEN EARNS COWBOYS CONTRACT EXTENSION

Todd Payten has done enough to earn a contract extension.

You only need to watch the way the Cowboys are playing to see how hard the players compete for each other.

That is always one of the biggest indicators of how much belief a team has in their coach.

The Cowboys’ 30-18 win over the Rabbitohs pushed them into sixth spot on the ladder with eight wins for the season.

Even more impressive is they have achieved this without the benefit of a bye.

In fact, only the Panthers and Warriors have more wins so far this year.

Not bad for a coach who supposedly entered the season as a dead man walking.

What Payten has also shown is the Cowboys are building genuine resilience. They continue to scrap through injuries, Origin disruptions and constant outside noise surrounding the coach’s future.

But the longer the contract situation drags on, the bigger distraction it risks becoming.

And with the Cowboys clearly possessing a roster capable of competing with the best sides this year, there is no point waiting around any longer.

Payten praises ‘patient’ Cowboys win | 05:14

EMOTIONAL WEEK TOOK ITS TOLL ON SOUTHS

As for Souths, it’s important not to be too critical after such an emotional week following the devastating health diagnosis involving Jai Arrow.

As Wayne Bennett admitted post-match, “it affected me”.

So imagine how much it impacted the players.

Throw in the absence of Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton, Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham and Brandon Smith, while Alex Johnston was clearly playing on one leg.

That’s a hell of a lot of salary cap space sidelined.

Yet a fully fit Johnston probably scores a hat-trick, and it could have been a very different finish to this game.

One of the more interesting moves from Bennett was also starting Matt Dufty ahead of Jye Gray at fullback.

But Bennett’s explanation made sense.

Dufty simply offers more creativity and passing skill, highlighted by that beautiful ball for rookie winger Talanoa Penitani’s early try.

Gray is all effort and enthusiasm, but for this game Dufty obviously suited the attacking style Bennett wanted against the free-spirited Cowboys.

Still, that could change against the Sea Eagles next game given the way Kieran Foran has Manly playing.

Bennett calls out poor Souths discipline | 02:44

KATOA NEXT MAN UP IF BLUES LOSE CLEARY THIS ORIGIN SERIES

What the weekend without the Origin stars also confirmed is that the Dolphins are no longer just a smoky for the finals this year.

They are a legitimate premiership threat.

And the biggest reason why is Isaiya Katoa.

The Dolphins went to Canberra without Origin stars Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo, Max Plath and Tom Flegler, while also missing Herbie Farnworth and Kodi Nikorima.

Yet they still found a way to win against a side desperately trying to keep their finals hopes alive.

That is what elite teams do.

And we are seriously running out of superlatives to describe Katoa.

At just 22, Katoa has already elevated himself into the elite bracket of NRL playmakers alongside Nathan Cleary, Jahrome Hughes, Adam Reynolds and Mitchell Moses.

You can throw Tom Dearden into the conversation.

But Katoa’s composure and just the subtleties of his game are on another level for someone so young.

Honestly, if NSW lost Cleary during this Origin series, Laurie Daley could do worse than handing Katoa the No 7 jumper.

Woolf praises Dolphins grit in big win | 06:04

SAD END AT STORM LOOMING FOR BELLAMY

I’m not writing Melbourne’s final hopes off just yet because Craig Bellamy has earned far too much respect for that.

But given Bellamy’s recent health concerns — and the growing belief this could potentially be his final season coaching — it would be a sad way for one of the greatest coaches in rugby league history to finish if the Storm don’t make the top eight cut.

And that is how it is looking after succumbing to the Bulldogs — the fifth defeat in the seven games this year where the Storm have led at halftime.

We should remember the Bulldogs’ second half comeback came against a side not just missing Origin stars Harry Grant, Cameron Munster and Trent Loiero.

The Storm were also without injured stars Eli Katoa, Tui Kamikamica, Xavier Coates and Tyran Wishart.

That is somewhere between $5 million and $6 million of talent missing from Melbourne’s salary cap.

But even allowing for that, the Storm have nobody to blame but themselves for butchering a 18-6 lead.

It just wasn’t the type of performance we have come to expect from a side coached by Bellamy at Origin time over the years.

Bellamy fuming after poor 2nd half | 07:02

Melbourne finished with 13 errors, completed at just 73 per cent, while conceding four penalties to one and losing the set restarts 5-1.

And the scariest part for Storm fans is the ladder now says their finals hopes are officially on life support.

Stuck on eight competition points with only 12 games remaining — albeit with three byes still to come — they probably need to win at least nine of those remaining matches to scrape into the eight.

That starts against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night, just three days after the Origin opener.

It will be almost impossible for even Bellamy to find a way to lift the Storm out of this.