2008 Season Write Up

The Dragons entered season 2008 as the defending Asian Champions and could hardly have started the year in better fashion, breaking all records for attendance at training in the first few weeks of the season. 

In such a transient environment as south-east Asia, recruitment is a major feature of a successful club. The Dragons have again excelled in this all-important area and only managed to reinforce its famously strong culture by retaining experienced players and off-field leaders while attracting new players from across Hong Kong society. 

The Philippines Eagles hosted the inaugural Manila Cup in late May, a tournament that provided the Hong Kong Dragons with their first addition to the trophy cabinet for the year. The tournament was a huge success for all concerned and saw the Dragons travel with a squad of almost 40, numbers more befitting an Asian Champs than a season-opening tour. Wins over Malaysia, China, Philippines and a combined side saw the Dragons take a cup it will attempt to defend in 2009. 

A couple of months later, a smaller but no less determined squad played a cracking game of football in Thailand. The Dragons took on the Thailand Tigers in the first-ever game played in Pattaya, a couple of hours east of Bangkok. In front of an appreciative crowd, the Dragons fell to a five goal deficit early. But a stirring comeback in the second half, despite the small and exhausted squad, ultimately saw the visitors fall 13 points shy of their opponents. 

Unable to secure a ground to host a visiting side, the Dragons trained solidly for the Asian Championships in Singapore in September. Midweek training sessions were introduced twice a week and good numbers on the track has the squad primed to defend its title. Or so it thought. The Dragons managed sound wins over Laos in the first-ever contest between the sides, Vietnam and Thailand, reclaiming the Hamilton-Ridell Cup after several years absence. A sign of the difficult assignment ahead came in a heavy loss to a powerful UAE side that could have been closer had the Dragons converted goal-scoring chances. A spiteful semi-final against arch-rival Singapore resulted in a disappointing 21-point loss and third-place in the Tournament. The UAE won the Grand Final comfortably. 

A planned end-of-season trip to Yangshuo, southern China, was a source of disappointment after the tour was cancelled by the hosts with planning for the trip well-advanced. 

Off the field, the Dragons enjoyed strong support from their sponsors. For the first time, players were provided with full medical insurance by the club at home and abroad, courtesy of financial planners Friar Park. Michael Page, Bulldogs, Fosters, Westpac and Compelite all retained their valuable links to the Dragons football club. 

An expanded social committee combined superbly to deliver a string of outstanding social events, including a Season-opening party, junk trip, Ladies Night, Beach Party, Awards Night and the gala AFL Grand Final event.