The 28-22 victory came despite a disappointing finish to the first half, the Dragons letting a 10-0 lead quickly turn into a 20-10 halftime deficit.

But in a testament to the improvement Paul McGregor's side has shown in recent weeks, St George Illawarra stuck at it and ultimately fought their way back to secure a dramatic victory.

Wins to the Tigers, Manly and Sharks mean the Dragons remain two points outside the eight, but with Cronulla next Saturday, the side will have every chance to draw level with their local rivals on the ladder.

Here are the five things we learnt from the victory over the Bulldogs.

St George Illawarra still have plenty of room to improve

The Dragons may have come away with the two points on Saturday afternoon, but their performance at times was well below par.

The final 20 minutes of the first half were particularly poor, Canterbury rolling through the middle of the field and making the most of the attacking field position handed to them by a number of Dragons errors.

While the Dragons performed well in the second half and they should be praised for fighting back, a quality opposition would have slammed the door shut on any prospect of a comeback.

The Dragons may be just two points outside the top eight, but the performance highlighted just how much they still need to improve if they are to actually challenge the competition's top teams.

Read more: Tariq Sims facing stint on sidelines after dangerous contact charge

The side is under no illusions about this fact, McGregor and the players expressing their disappointment with the showing and highlighting that it did not meet their standards.

St George Illawarra have come a long way since the loss to the Dogs in round four and the signs are promising they will continue to build throughout the season, but they still have a long way to go.

Euan Aitken is growing in confidence

It's hard to believe this is the same player who was dropped before round one after some lacklustre trial form and a disappointing 2019.

Aitken was clearly rocked by the Jack de Belin sexual assault proceedings a year ago, the representative forward one of his closest mates, and a drop in confidence only further contributed to his form slump.

But since returning to the starting side against the Sharks in round five, Aitken has started to resemble the player who was firmly in the frame for Origin selection two years ago.

He's certainly not there yet, but as we saw when the centre burst through the Bulldogs defensive line to score on Saturday, Aitken is a man playing with confidence.

Should this confidence continue to grow, Aitken can develop into a lethal attacking threat in the coming weeks.

Adam Clune has potential as the Dragons long-term halfback

The 25-year-old was outstanding in the second half on Saturday, Clune producing the kick that led to Jason Saab's try and bursting through the defensive line to set Matt Dufty up for the equaliser.

It wasn't just those two moments of brilliance, however, the halfback playing a key role in directing the team's attack and producing a number of excellent kicks.

McGregor said the second half was Clune's best since making his debut in the round four loss to the Bulldogs, crediting the no. 7 for helping turn the game in St George Illawarra's favour.

"It was the best 40 minutes he's had this year, without a doubt," McGregor said post game. "His second 40 minutes was really pleasing.

"For a guy that's still very young in his career as a first grader, we needed him to go to the game and he went to the game at the right times. He controlled possession well, field position, it was a good 40 minutes for him.

"His left edge, his work with Euan has been very good defensively as well."

While it may be Ben Hunt earning top dollar, Clune looks to be doing a good job securing the no. 7 jersey.

Hunt and McInnes look set for a lengthy stint in their new roles

Speaking of Hunt, the $6 million man is set for an extended period in the no. 9 jumper.

This is despite agitation from Cameron McInnes' agent Steve Gillis for the captain to return to his favoured hooker position, suggestions the skipper is unhappy dismissed by McGregor post-game on Saturday.

"All Cam wants to do is win. Cam's comfortable playing a role for the team at 13, same as Benny. Benny wants to play seven, but he's playing nine for the team, that's what the team needs right now.

"We're missing some experienced players in the middle third of the field that won't be with us or aren't with us at the moment and they're doing a very good job as a combination there and it's going to stay there.

"At the moment, Jack's not available, we let James go and we need minutes people. They're both minutes people, they're experienced, it's that simple."

The pieces have finally fallen into place for the Dragons since Hunt shifted into dummy half, with the side's attack showing the direction and spark not on display earlier in the season.

The Queensland Origin representative made a number of errors on Saturday, but he was also brilliant at times, producing numerous superb kicks from dummy half and running on the back of his big forwards.

Hunt's preference may be to play in the halves and McInnes may want to play hooker, but both players have stated their desire to do what's best for the club. At this stage, that is the no. 9 and no. 13 jumpers, respectively.

Tariq Sims' discipline is becoming a concern

Sims was charged for the second time this season for a late, high tackle on Kieran Foran, the backrower facing one week on the sidelines.

With the 30-year-old also missing four games through injury, the Dragons have already been without their Origin forward for five matches this season, and if he takes the early guilty plea, they can add another week to that tally.

While Tyrell Fuimaono has made the most of his opportunities, St George Illawarra can't afford to be without one of their best players if they are to continue their climb up the ladder.

McGregor recognises Sims has struggled to get settled this season and while aggression is a key aspect of his game, it may be time for the forward to tone it down to avoid further stints on the sidelines

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