It ensured the JJ Giltinan Shield remains in Wollongong for another year, even with their round-26 game against South Sydney still to play.

But following last year's late-season slump, which ended with the minor premiers out of the finals after consecutive losses, Soward said retaining the shield would be meaningless if they didn't capture an elusive title on October 3.

"The minor premiership, it's something that goes to the most consistent team and we wanted to be that," he said.

"But it's more for the fans. We take pride in it, but we want more, we want to take the next step.

"We're going to be remembered by whether we win the comp or not and not by how many minor premierships you win."

St George Illawarra will be presented with the shield by NRL chief executive David Gallop after Sunday night's clash with South Sydney at WIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah.

They are on 36 competition points, four clear of the Gold Coast Titans, who crashed to a 30-16 loss to the Sharks in Trent Barrett and Luke Covell's farewell game at Toyota Stadium on Saturday night.

Wests Tigers are now outright second on 34 after overcoming Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval.

Soward said the win over the Knights took some heat off the Dragons. Now they don't have to beat South Sydney to finish on top of the ladder.

"It's going to take a lot of the pressure off us going back to Kogarah," he said. "But hopefully we will put in a good performance for the fans."

Coach Wayne Bennett, who arrived in Wollongong in November 2008 declaring he would turn the Dragons into a tough and uncompromising unit, said he had great pride in what the club had already achieved.

"Of course I'm proud of it," Bennett said. "I'm proud of what these guys have done, they've put the effort in.

"I think it's a great honour for the club.

"It's great recognition of the way this team has played for the two years to go back-to-back minor premiers."