Dragons playmaker Gareth Widdop celebrates a try against the Storm. Pic Mark Evans

Only 7568 people showed up — just 500 more than the lowest all time for a Dragons match at the venue — to watch a St George Illawarra side limp to victory and sneak momentarily inside the top eight.

“We can improve,” Dragons coach Paul McGregor said. “We had a five-day turnaround. A lot of intent in the win. To score 20 and get a win against Melbourne is pleasing.”

Two late second half tries secured victory for the home side. While the Dragons were without the likes of Josh Dugan, Tyson Frizell and Ben Creagh they did have new recruit Tariq Sims who took his place on the interchange bench against an unrecognisable Melbourne team.

In Cooper Cronk’s place was 18-year-old debutant Brodie Croft — who is another Queensland half of promise. Playing at hooker instead of Cameron Smith was Slade Griffin — his first appearance in 1056 days. Blake Green, Cameron Munster and Tim Glasby were also late withdrawals joining the likes of Billy Slater and Will Chambers sidelined.

New Dragon: Tariq SimsSource:AAP

“I was real proud especially with our defensive effort,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said. “ It was easy for them to think it was too hard. We will learn from that.

“To lose Cameron (Smith) and Cooper (Cronk) we plan for that. We haven’t planned to lose Munster and Greek. We didn’t have (our usual players) in our spine.”

Melbourne opened the scoring with seventh minute penalty goal.

It took a slice of luck for the Dragons to break a brave Melbourne defensive line. A Gareth Widdop last tackle kick bounced off Kevin Proctor before landing in the arms of Widdop who raced away to score midway through the first half.

That try sprung the Dragons to life briefly when an early tackle kick produced a 40/20 by Benji Marshall following Widdop’s try. A Marshall cut out found Kalifa Faifai Loa who placed the ball on the touch in goal line to be denied a try.

Despite dominating field possession and receiving seven consecutive penalties to close out the first half, the Dragons could only manage a penalty goal to take an 8-2 halftime lead.

The Dragons were denied a try inside the opening three minutes of the second half when Euan Aitken fumbled a Marshall grubber as he went to score. Another Widdop penalty goal extended the Dragons lead to eight, six minutes into the second half.

Suliasi Vunivalu takes a bomb to score against the Dragons. Pic: Mark EvansSource:News Corp Australia

Winger Suliasi Vunivalu then scored his 12th try in eight games off a Croft cross field bomb. Vunivalu scored a double on the stroke of fulltime.

McGregor was upbeat after the match that his side can finish the regular season strongly.

“We need to build now,” he said. “We are getting a few players back. Josh (Dugan) will be back next week. We haven’t had a team on the field to be consistently at our best.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 20 (K Mann M Rein G Widdop tries G Widdop 4 goals) bt MELBOURNE 10 (S Vunivalu 2 tries T Harris goal) at WIN Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Grant Atkins. Crowd: 7,568