RUGBY LEAGUE
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Melbourne's shock loss to Newcastle on Monday could prove pivotal in St George Illawarra's unlikely premiership charge.
The Storm are just one game ahead of the Dragons on the NRL ladder, but face a considerably tougher run home than the Wollongong club.
The Storm have to contend with top-four outfits North Queensland and then Brisbane in their final two games before the finals. The Dragons, on the other hand, take on Gold Coast and Wests Tigers over the coming fortnight.
If Storm lose both their games and the Red V post two victories, the latter will climb the ladder regardless of for-and-against.
The Dragons will then be a chance to finish fifth or sixth, depending how the Bulldogs and Sharks fare over the next two weeks.
Finishing either fifth or sixth would allow the Dragons a home elimination final.
It's all too mathematical for Dragons five-eighth Gareth Widdop, who is trying to ignore the ladder at this stage.
"We go out there to win every week and that's what we will be doing," he said.
Manly's upset loss to Parramatta on Sunday all but guaranteed St George Illawarra a place in the finals.
The Sea Eagles looked in danger of knocking the Dragons out of the eight, but will now need to gain at least two competition points - and percentage - over the Red V to qualify.
And with Geoff Toovey's men taking on Sydney Roosters this weekend, a finals berth does seem unlikely.
Inside Dragons camp, there's a feeling of disappointment in the season as a whole. Some players are feeling dejected about the fact the team has had to rely on other results to gain a spot in finals, for a club that looked certain to finish top-four midway through the season.
The Dragons won nine of 12 games early in the year, before enduring a historic seven-game losing streak to tumble down the ladder.
They looked like missing the finals before turning their season around with a big win over Newcastle in round 21.
Rookie back Justin Hunt believes the season could have played out much differently.
Hunt makes way for veteran winger Jason Nightingale, who returns from a foot injury against the Gold Coast this week.
"We went through that tough patch where we lost a couple of games, but we only lost some of those games by two or four points," Hunt said.
"If we won those games it would be a different case." Joel Thompson has been named to make his comeback following a hamstring strain while fellow forward Jake Marketo has been sidelined via a one-week suspension.
The Dragons take on the Titans on Sunday.