Sailor did the moonwalk, a move made famous by Jackson, after scoring his try, but it was Soward who had most cause to celebrate after sealing the win with a runaway try two minutes before full-time.

The Roosters led 12-6 at half-time, with former Dragon Craig Fitzgibbon scoring all of their points before Soward led the second-half surge.

With Dragons prop Justin Poore and second-rower Ben Creagh expected to retain their positions in the NSW team for the third Origin game in Brisbane, Soward and winger Brett Morris are now also in contention.

While they might be at the opposite ends of the NRL ladder, it was the Roosters who started like competition leaders, dominating possession and territory for the opening 15 minutes.

The pressure was turned into points when Fitzgibbon, almost certainly playing his last game against his former club before joining UK Super League team Hull at the end of the season, scored between the posts.

The chances the Dragons had early were snuffed out, with Sailor bundled into touch in the ninth minute after collecting a loose Soward pass.

Sailor was again pushed over the sideline later in the half, when opposite number Shaun Kenny-Dowall stopped a barnstorming run from a broken play situation.