That would allow St George Illawarra to play successive home games at Kogarah on the opening weekend of the play-offs and Wollongong the following weekend.

However, a top two finish and victory at WIN Jubilee Oval would see the Dragons march straight into the preliminary final at the Sydney Football Stadium, meaning the Illawarra would miss out entirely.

WIN Stadium chief executive Stuart Barnes yesterday said he had already pencilled in the Dragons to play on the weekend of September 11-13 in the event of a top four finish.

"That's the way we are seeing it at the moment. We have a hold on that weekend for that first semi," he said.

Barnes said WIN Stadium deserved to host a Dragons finals game because it was the team's permanent training base and had a playing surface tailored to master coach Wayne Bennett's liking.

"We've done a heck of a lot of work to make it exactly how Wayne Bennett wanted," Barnes said. "He wants a firm playing surface with less potential for knee and ankle injuries. I'm not trying to put the new Kogarah ground down at all, but there is also greater corporate hospitality capability at WIN Stadium."

WIN Stadium hosted the Dragons last home semi-final against Cronulla in 2005.

Even without the State of Origin players available, WIN Stadium attracted a bumper crowd of 16,792 to Sunday's Dragons-Sea Eagles clash on Sunday.

However, WIN Jubilee Oval's capacity is 2000 bigger and had crowds of 20,047 at the ground's re-opening earlier this year against the Sharks and 18,415 against premiership rivals the Bulldogs.