The young Dragons take on the Roosters in Friday’s preliminary final after a thrilling extra-time qualifying final win over North Queensland in week one of the play-offs.

It’s a hurdle at which the club has fallen on a number of occasions in recent seasons and hard-nosed front-rower Blake Lawrie said coach Mat Head has impressed on his troops how important it is not to waste the opportunity to play in a grand final – prioritising three important qualities in the process.

“The coach has emphasised the message of being ‘hard-working, humble and hungry’ and recently the added word of ‘intent’ which has been a real key for us this week,” Lawrie said.

“We got to this game on the back of a strong group effort against the Cowboys which ended with a magnificent try to Matheson Johns down the right wing which got us the seven-day break.

“That time off has helped us going into training this week and our preparation has been well because of it.

“[Head] has kept us level-headed so we don’t get ahead of ourselves. We do have a bit of a rivalry brewing between the two teams in recent games and a huge game on Friday night.

“We will need to be at our best on Friday night as the Roosters are a strong side across the 17 and will prove a real danger as what they have thrown at us previously has been really good.

“Our season is on the line which is why we have trained well so far this week so that we can hopefully reach the grand final next week.”