In a brutal clash that looked ripped straight out of the 1980s, the Dragons trailed at halftime, and early in the second half, before a two-try explosion from Sims swung things back the Dragons way.

The visitors went into the game without skipper Ben Hunt and centre Jack Bird, but the ledger was more than squared on the run, with the Knights suffering a horror injury toll that will have impacts long beyond Sunday's loss.

Mitchell Pearce left the field with a pectoral tear midway through the first half and was quickly followed by Tex Hoy with a hamstring injury.

Adam O'Brien was forced into another reshuffle when Kurt Mann was knocked out cold in a sickening collision with Dragons flyer Mikaele Ravalawa midway through the second half. David Kemmer was also left clutching at an injured knee but played on as the Knights ran out of bodies.

Still the home side didn't trail on the scoreboard until 59th minute leading 7-6 at halftime after a snap field goal from Mann with less than a minute until the interval.

They scored first after the break through Josh King before Sims put his side on his back with an important double.

"He's put two together now," coach Anthony Griffin said of Sims' performance.

"He had a slow start to the year but last week against Manly he was really good and he was in everything today. He's got his physicality back on both sides of the ball. I thought his charge-down was something that turned the game and that's an effort play.

"He's just enjoying his football like most of them. They're enjoying what they're doing. Our blokes have just got a real will to compete at the moment.

"Obviously the opposition were really brave... but, at this level, you've just got to do what you've got to do. It wasn't pretty from us for long periods but defensively they just refused to lose in the second half."

In Hunt's absence, Corey Norman steered his side home superbly, laying on the dagger try for Brayden Wiliame and kicking the Knights into submission down the stretch.

It made it three straight wins for the club for the first-time since round six 2019 and was crucial two points on the road with tough clashes against the Eels, Warriors and Roosters looming.

It's early days, but the 3-1 start has left some questioning pre-season suggestions the Dragons would be fighting to avoid the spoon, not for a finals berth.

"I didn't tip that so I don't have to answer that question. You'd have to ask them," Griffin said of the knockers.

"It's only four weeks, there's a lot of the season to go, but today was another step for us as a group. There was a soft try where the Knights didn't have to earn their points, but when push comes to shove we're finding a way to win games.

"It's early, we're nowhere near where we need to be. The way we're attacking at the moment, we left a few points out there but they've got a real desire to want to win and play for each other.

"The more you win the more you get confidence and they'll get a lot of confidence out of that today."

It was on from the kickoff with the packs throwing themselves into things, Klemmer too much as he was pinged for taking a swing at Blake Lawrie in the opening scrum.

A second penalty allowed Ravalawa to cross at the end of a beautiful string of passing, only for an unprompted bunker review to find a pass grazed the thumb of Josh Kerr in the lead-up.

It was a telling call, with Cody Ramsey making a meal of a Pearce bomb at the other end and allowing Gehmat Shibasaki to grab the first four-pointer. Hoy converted for a 6-0 lead after 11 minutes.

Pearce left the park after a seemingly innocuous slap on Tariq Sims cost his side a penalty, but cost him personally a whole lot more as he was forced from the field with what appeared a torn pec.

The Dragons first try also came from a fumble, this time from Hoy who spilled a bomb from Adam Clune, with Trent Merrin on hand to grab the scraps and his side's first try.

Lomax added the extras to square the ledger closing in on halftime until Mann broke the deadlock with a snap one-pointer less than 30 seconds before the interval.

After a grinding first half the Knights first try in the second half was a soft one, with Josh King brushing past Poasa Faamausili to score from close range. Barnett converted for a 13-6 lead eight minutes into the second stanza.

It was short-lived, with Sims blasting through the Knights line and dashing 40 metres to score next to the posts just three minutes later. Lomax made no mistake with the extras to make it a one-point game.

Mann was added to the Knights injury toll minutes later when he was sickeningly knocked out attempting to tackle Ravalawa. Another melee followed before Klemmer was the next Knight busted, picking up a knee injury but playing on.

Sims grabbed his second try in spectacular fashion, charging down a Blake Green kick and regathering on a 50-metre run to the black dot. Lomax gain converted for a five-point buffer with 19 minutes to play.

Wiliame put his side beyond a converted try, planting a perfectly-weighted grubber from Norman for his side's fourth try. Lomax missed his first goal in 26 straight attempts to keep the margin at nine.

Hymel Hunt looked to have set up the grandstand when he crossed in the corner with five minutes left only to be called back for a forward pass; replays revealing it was a dud call.

It was as close as the Knights got, with the Dragons hanging on on the back of Norman's boot down as time wound down.