St George Illawarra prop Blake Lawrie claims the NRL club's thumping win over the Dolphins has laid down the marker for their season, adamant the Dragons can be a top-four team.
Saturday night's 38-12 victory over the Dolphins was the Dragons' equal-biggest win under coach Anthony Griffin, as their attack clicked in Wollongong's slippery conditions.
The performance came after two weeks of scrutiny around Griffin's future, and questions over the team's credentials this year after consecutive heavy losses.
Lawrie said they team had not addressed the need to perform for Griffin, but instead said it was important their actions spoke on the field.
"Obviously Hook (Griffin) puts a game plan in place and we have to stick to it. It was us as players' fault last week (against Cronulla)," Lawrie said.
"It was disgraceful, not our standards. It wasn't what we worked hard for in the past six or seven months of pre-season.
"I am just focused on doing my job, and Hook is focused on doing his job and he keeps doing it.
"If we keep doing it, then Hook will be here beyond the end of this year. That's what we want to do.
"We want to be top four, it was a good step in the right direction only letting in 12 points."
While St George Illawarra impressed in attack, the biggest difference was in their defence as they went to a 2-2 record and 10th on the ladder.
After conceding 40 in back-to-back games for the first time since 2005 in the previous two weeks, they more than halved their missed tackle count against the Dolphins.
"We went out and we showed by our line speed and first contact, what it should be and what our standard is," Lawrie said.
"This is the minimum standard. We have more steps to go. It's a good step in the right direction."
Lawrie is also adamant the Dragons can be that top-four team, after players conceded their season was at a crossroads last week.
They've not played finals since 2018, while Lawrie's entire career has been played with pressure on coaches Paul McGregor and now Griffin.
"It'd be nice to stop that, I'm not going to lie," Lawrie said.
"The outside noise is what it is, we can't control that. There will always be noise.
"We can control how we train and how we go out and play footy and what the results end up.
"We got 40 put on us two weeks in a row, if you get 40 put on you, you won't win any game.
"Top-four teams keep teams to 12 or 16, and that's what our goal is. We want to be top four."
