NRL: Biggest hurdle overcome claims Bennett

Jamie Soward. Photo / Getty Images

The grand final still awaits, but St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett believes the Dragons may have already jumped the biggest hurdle in their bid to end the club's NRL premiership drought.

Through to a decider - against the Sydney Roosters - for the first time since the joint-venture's inaugural campaign in 1999, Bennett owned up to the pressure his players were under as they went into Saturday's preliminary final against Wests Tigers.

This was not Bennett inferring that beating the Roosters was a fait accompli, rather it was a reflection of exactly where his side was at, with no Dragons side before or after the merger having achieved the ultimate success since 1979.

Since the '99 decider seven finals campaigns - including last year's demoralising straight sets exit - had ended with the team failing to make it to the first weekend in October, a run which had critics labelling the red and whites finals chokers.

"This game was so important to them tonight," Bennett said after the pulsating 13-12 win over the Tigers.

"This game was a hard game for them tonight ... tonight's game is much harder than next week."

Asked why, Bennett - the most successful coach in NRL history with six premierships to his name - said:

"You cant play in a grand final unless you win tonight, simple as that."

Given their regular season dominance last year, many believed this was a scenario the Dragons would have found themselves in 12 months ago.

But Bennett conceded the type of dogged performance his side delivered against the Tigers was not possible last year, where they might not have had the nerve to stick with a game plan which saw them only hit the lead for the first time with six minutes remaining.

Last year - and for that matter the last decade - the Dragons faltered under the glare of the finals spotlight, but according to Bennett, this year's version is different.

"They're all better for (last year's run) - they couldn't have won that game last year in hindsight," Bennett said.

"The way they went about it there was a calmness and a belief which we didn't have last year.

"They've been there before this year, they've been in that situation, they know how to hold it together and stay together - that's what they've picked up along the journey."

In the Roosters, the Dragons face a grand final opponent bearing much resemblance to the Tigers, with the wizardry of Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah replaced by the off-the-cuff brilliance of Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce.

The duo have formed a dynamic combination in 2010 and in skipper Braith Anasta they have a leader who has lifted his and the team's level of play to a new level.

Whether the 13 points the Dragons scored against the Tigers will be enough to outdo the Roosters remains to be seen, but skipper Ben Hornby said the side would not be wavering from the defensive approach that has been the cornerstone of their success to date.

Call them boring, call them one-dimensional - Hornby said the only title he was interested in carrying was that of a premiership winner.

"We don't care - we just go out there to win the game," Hornby said of talkback radio accusations that his side was boring to watch.

"If we win it by one point, we're happy with that."

NRL grand final factbox
Head to head: Dragons 14, Roosters 8, drawn 1

Last 5 meetings:
Dragons 19-12 at Sydney Cricket Ground (rd 22, 2010
Dragons 28-6 at Sydney Football Stadium (rd 7, 2010)
Dragons 34-12 at WIN Jubilee Oval (rd 17, 2009)
Dragons 29-0 at Sydney Football Stadium (rd 7, 2009)
Roosters 10-0 at Sydney Football Stadium (rd 26, 2008)

Recent form: Dragons LWWWW, Roosters WWWWW

- AAP