NRL: Jubilant Dragons ready for big challenge

Jamie Soward of the Dragons celebrates with team mates after victory over the Tigers. Photo / Getty Images

WOLLONGONG - St George Illawarra wasted little time celebrating their NRL grand final berth as players and coaching staff got down to the business of breaking the joint venture's premiership duck.

After a night of mild celebrations at St George League's club following their nail-biting 13-12 preliminary final win over Wests Tigers on Saturday night, the majority of the squad gathered in Wollongong yesterday for a light recovery session.

The relaxed mood illustrated the feeling that the Dragons had thrown a large monkey off their back by reaching their first decider since 1999, but skipper Ben Hornby insisted the job was far from complete as they prepare to face the Sydney Roosters in next Sunday's grand final.

"We still want to focus on this week and we'll reflect on this season once it's finished," Hornby said.

"It has [sunk in], we're pretty proud of what we've done but there's another game to go and we want to play well in that. For me and I know for a few of the other blokes, I know we've waited a long time for this."

The club was still awaiting word from the NRL match review committee after incidents involving forwards Jeremy Smith and Dean Young, though Hornby was confident both would be cleared.

Smith collected winger Lote Tuqiri with a knee late in the game while Young will come under review for a forearm to the head of Robbie Farah and possible sanction over alleged racial comments directed at the Tigers skipper after the confrontation.

Hornby said the Roosters would be a tough assignment, but was adamant the Dragons would not waver from the plans that had got them this far.

"We'll back our defence and we'll go out there to try and do our best to try and stop them from scoring points and hopefully we can pick up some ourselves," he said.

"The only way you really can stop momentum is to create your own ... we feel like if it's a close game that's going to go down to the wire we may have an advantage."

- AAP