The salary cap-related woes, supporter protests and widespread castigation of a supposedly weak squad following St George Illawarra’s insipid losses in the opening two rounds of 2015 are but a distant memory just one month on.

Paul McGregor’s unfancied Dragons are riding high on a four-match winning streak, making their most forceful statement yet courtesy of a 31-6 rout of depleted Canterbury on Sunday afternoon.

The Saints headed into Round 6 with the best defensive record and the worst attacking stats in the NRL – an anomaly not seen in the premiership for 60 years. It was that steel, desperation and aggression without the ball that laid the platform for their resounding win over the Bulldogs.

• Dragons thrash Bulldogs, Storm edge Raiders
• Roberts hat-trick gives Titans the edge over Eagles
• How ‘Bad Friday’ clash sparked a fire in the NRL

The Dragons rebuffed a welter of attacking forays by the blue-and-whites during the opening 40 and were equally effective in the second stanza – Josh Morris’ 49th-minute touchdown was the just the second try conceded by the Saints in their past seven halves of football.

Josh Dugan congratulates Euan Aitken after scoring a try. Photo: Getty

Tough and organised, Red V jumpers kept turning up to thwart the Dogs.

Its forward pack was branded as toothless in mid-March, lacking starch and impact.

But relatively unheralded engine-room types Tyson Frizell (who, incidentally, was lucky to remain on the field for an ugly high shot that saw Bulldogs prop Tim Browne leave ANZ Stadium on a stretcher), Leeson Ah Mau and Jack De Belin are providing the requisite muscle and punch for Benji Marshall and co. to pour on the polish.

The Saints increased their season points-for tally by 36 per cent on Sunday, and they will continue to surge up the attacking charts if Marshall maintains his rich vein of form.

The 30-year-old may have lost a yard or two of pace, but his guile and sleight of hand are at 2010 Golden Boot levels.

Fullback Josh Dugan keeps underlining his status as one of the competition’s most dynamic players, lock Trent Merrin is showing no signs that his mind is on his impending departure to Penrith, and hooker Mitch Rein is belatedly coming of age.

From wooden spoon contenders a fortnight into the premiership, the joint venture has emerged as a team that can cause some serious damage in 2015.

Hunt sends Broncos top, saves golden point

Golden point has become increasingly maligned by astute pundits in recent seasons, with the extra-time period’s inevitable descent into a field goal shootout labelled a blight on the competition when most would be content with the humble draw and shared premiership points.

Introduced in 2003, the first 50 golden-point games were decided by a try on 14 occasions.

But since 2011, the 31 games deadlocked after 80 minutes had produced just one golden-point try … until Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt’s piece of inspiration on Friday night.

When setting for the one-pointer seemed the percentage play, the 25-year-old took control of his team’s destiny with a dazzling 35-metre solo try that left five defenders from the title-favourite Sydney Roosters in his wake to clinch a 22-18 triumph for the Broncos.

While Hunt’s mighty individual play sent Wayne Bennett’s resurgent Broncos to the top of the NRL ladder (pending South Sydney’s clash with North Queensland on Monday night), it was equally important for the No.7’s confidence.

The breakout star of the 2014 season and a Kangaroos bolter, Hunt had produced a few flashes of brilliance this year without being truly dominant. Friday’s clutch performance – which also included the Broncos’ opening try – proved Hunt possesses the chops to lead a team to a premiership.

Meanwhile, golden point’s future remains up for debate – but the Broncos’ linchpin provided a wonderful advertisement for its retention; replacing it with a ‘golden try’ rule would open up the door for many more similarly magic moments.

‘The Beast’ celebrates in style

Simultaneously one of the most loved and criticised players in the code, enigmatic Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei marked his 200th appearance – just the third player from the club to reach the milestone – with a barnstorming double in a 32-22 defeat of Wests Tigers.

Manu Vatuvei of the Warriors celebrates after scoring a try. Photo: Getty

It was a poignant night for ‘The Beast’ and, indeed, all Warriors fans at Mt Smart.

The cult hero took the field accompanied by two of his daughters and was clearly emotional as he was greeted by a haka by Warriors lower grade players and other teammates not part of the game-day squad.

After the match, Vatuvei was presented with a framed photo of his entrance by legendary All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu.

It wasn’t a flawless performance from Vatuvei, but the two tries showcased his trademark finishing ability and were vital to a victory that was more nerve-jangling than the final score indicated.

The veteran’s display was another illustration of his army of detractors having no genuine feel for the game, and certainly no appreciation for the unparalleled value – tangibly, via his try and run-metres tallies, and spiritually – he brings to the Warriors.

Vatuvei equalled countryman Nigel Vagana as the greatest non-Australian try-scorer in premiership history on Saturday with his 140th try … and did it in 40 fewer games.

Players and characters like ‘The Beast’ should be lauded rather than derided; this weekend’s celebrations were a fitting tribute and an emphatic thumbing of the nose to his misguided critics. 

Toovey not the reason for Manly’s plight

Perennial heavyweight Manly is stone motherless last after six rounds with just one win in the bank – and, predictably, the knives are out for coach Geoff Toovey.

The Sea Eagles’ success under the club legend over the last three seasons has been frequently attributed to the groundwork laid by Des Hasler by cynics.

Now the side is struggling, it is apparently Toovey’s fault.

‘Tooves’ is a clear victim of circumstance. Hamstrung at every turn by dysfunctional club management, Toovey was left to pick up the pieces as a slew of stalwarts were shown the door.

Despite the rampant disharmony, he very nearly led the embattled squad to a premiership before injuries derailed their campaign late in the piece.

A bulging casualty ward has contributed to the Sea Eagles’ woes again in 2015, while ongoing backroom bungling has been a major factor in the teams’ superstar halves opting to move on at the end of the year.

Toovey is the man to lead Manly out of the abyss – maroon and white courses through his veins, while his coaching record speaks for itself – but the aforementioned incompetent hierarchy will no doubt already be compiling a list of inferior replacements.