Under Bennett, Soward has been a revelation this season. But just five days after claiming the five-eighth of the year award Soward, along with his teammates, had a topsy-turvey game against the Eels.

The free-flowing nature that the talented headgeared-half has displayed this year was restricted by a stifled Dragons attack.

And a Soward cutout pass and Eric Grothe's 80-metre intercept try, in the end, put the game beyond the Dragons.

"I know this much about football that if you throw enough passes you are going to have a few go astray,'' Bennett said.

"All the ones he has thrown this year there hasn't been a lot of them. That's part of the luck. If it goes into Brett Morris's hands he scores. It's a 12-point turnaround.''

And with that St George Illawarra's premiership aspirations hang by a thread.

Much has been made of the transformation of Soward, 24, from fringe first-grader to a State of Origin bolter.

The difference in his performances this season has been his ability to bounce back from adversity. He won't get a bigger test to prove doubters wrong with a match-up against Australian captain Darren

Lockyer on Saturday night. A dejected Soward said after the game it was a matter of bouncing back.

"Maybe I should have passed a little bit earlier,'' Soward said.

"These things happen. At the moment it's pretty hard to take a loss like that but we worked hard to get ourselves a double bite at the cherry. We are back at work instead of a week off.''

Soward's 80th match in the top grade on Sunday marked his first finals performance.

In scorching conditions at Jubilee Oval, the Dragons failed to score a try in the opening stages of the match where they dominated field possession and territory.

The Eels eventually scored the first try through Luke Burt in the 26th minute.

"I guess you get frustrated when you're not scoring points,'' Soward said.``In saying that I thought we attacked pretty well.

"We stuck to the game plan which was important for us [but] it didn't come off.''

A jovial Soward looked relaxed as he mingled with teammates at the team's recovery session at North Cronulla yesterday.

The equation for the Dragons heading into Saturday's match is simple:

"If we lose we're out,'' Soward said.