A POWERHOUSE performance from St George Illawarra enforcer Tariq Sims fired the Dragons to a third straight victory, outlasting a brave Newcastle 22-13 on Sunday.
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In a brutal clash ripped straight out of the 1980s, the Dragons trailed at halftime, and early in the second half, before a match-turning two-try explosion from Gerringong's Sims swung things back the Dragons way.
The visitors, featuring Gerringong's Jackson Ford, Albion Park-Oak Flats's Adam Clune and Shellharbour's Trent Merrin, 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, a former Batemans Bay Tiger, 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 Klemmer 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 half-time 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. 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 this 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."
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