The Dragons entered the match on the back foot, just 16 players available to line up.

Like they have throughout the short season, St George Illawarra tried hard, however their execution was lacking at times.

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A number of errors in their own half put St George Illawarra under pressure, the side fortunate the Warriors were unable to capitalise on numerous chances in the first half.

That execution improved in the second, the visitors running in three tries to turn an 8-4 half-time lead into a 22-10 victory.

Australian sevens representative Evania Pelite played a starring role for the visitors, the centre tormenting opposite Jess Sergis all afternoon.

The Dragons defensive struggles weren't confined to their right edge, with the Warriors making ten line breaks to one.

The loss was St George Illawarra's third of the season, the team finishing with their second NRLW wooden spoon.

Dragons coach Daniel Lacey was disappointed to see his team bow out of the competition in losing fashion.

"We haven't performed," Lacey said. "We trained pretty well, collectively they come together pretty well, but the wheels fell off, then more body parts fell off as well.

"I thought we would be better. I challenged them to have a bit of resilience and fight back, that's what we didn't do out of those three weeks.

"That's a reflection I'll have to take on board, so do the girls. There's probably going to be some big decisions coming into Origin, coming into NRLW next year, who's able to step up again."

The game started on the worst possible note for the Dragons, an error in the first set putting the Warriors on the attack.

Lacey's side held firm before they received a couple of chances of their own.

In near identical plays, St George Illawarra attacked down the left wing, debutant Teagan Berry dragged out in the fifth minute before she made no mistake three minutes later to open the scoring.

The lead was short-lived, Ellia Green crossing to level the scores at 4-4, the Australian sevens star the beneficiary of a damaging Pelite fend on Sergis.

The Warriors controlled the final 15 minutes of the opening half, a try to right winger Maddison Bartlett seeing the side head to the sheds with an 8-4 lead.

It was a match in which the Dragons snared an unwanted piece of history, the first NRLW team to start a match with 16 players.

The situation came on the back of a torrid injury run, with Kezie Apps, Isabelle Kelly, Tiana Penitani, Shakiah Tungai and Maddie Studdon all ruled out by the medical team.

The side was also without Shaylee Bent after she was suspended for a crusher tackle last weekend.

Despite missing the match, Bent was on Saturday afternoon named the Dragons NRLW Player of the Year. Keeley Davis was handed the Coach's Award.

The changes saw Jade Etherden thrown into the halves on debut, while Berry was also elevated from the bench to the wing in her first game.

To make matters worse, Davis left the match midway through the second half with a back injury.

The pre-game scramble to finalise a team was something Lacey had never seen before.

"You shouldn't (have to play with 16) at this level, but it's just the cards that fell our way. Six players out, six internationals out, Keeley goes down, that's seven internationals out.

"We kind of knew last week we were in a bit of dire straights. We asked the NRL what could we do from here.

"It's really hard at this time because we've got screenings, you've got baselines, there's a lot these girls do to be able to get on the park. You just can't ask a girl to play and she can turn up and play."