Broncos coach Wayne Bennett questioned whether his players were ruthless enough to win the premiership after St George Illawarra ran them down 24-20 at Suncorp Stadium.

Brisbane led 12-0 but the Ben Hornby inspired Dragons finished all over the top of them to deny skipper Darren Lockyer victory in his record 298th first-grade game for the club.

"We're not ruthless enough," said Bennett after the Dragons muscled up on his troops in the second half to keep their finals hopes alive.

Asked if his players could discover the ruthlessness that was lacking, Bennett said: "It's got to come from within, hasn't it?

"At this time of the year, at 12-0, where we're trying to get to, what we want to achieve later on in the season .... it just can't happen," he said.

Lockyer didn't disagree when asked if he felt the team lacked intensity.

"Tonight we did," he said.

"Two weeks ago we played Canberra here and I thought I performance was good.

"The last two weeks we've gone backwards.

"On a positive note it's probably good it's happened tonight because we can address it leading into the next few games."

Former Bronco Wendell Sailor pulled the Dragons back into the game with an aerial try over Reece Robinson five minutes before half time.

"We weren't going too flash before that," said Dragons coach Nathan Brown.

Sailor, who was once a hero to the Broncos' faithful, slammed the ball into the ground in celebration.

"Everyone knows I'm a passionate guy," said Sailor who was booked to play in the Queensland Cup for the Burleigh Bears until injury earned him a late call up.

"It was a big night for Locky (Lockyer) but I was happy to spoil his party.

"I'm a likeable guy, regardless of what you read."

Man-of-the-match Hornby swung the game with his brilliant passing game which set up tries for world class centres Matt Cooper and Mark Gasnier to spark the Dragons comeback.

Brown acknowledge their contribution but said the win came from his forwards muscling up after a tame first half.

"You can have all the wheels you like but it doesn't matter unless the guys in the middle get it done," said Brown.

Bennett was critical of a decision to penalise forward David Taylor after he charged out of the line and caught Dragons five-eighth Ben Rogers with the ball on the last tackle 30 metres out from his own line in the 44th minute.

"I don't know where that what came from to be honest with you," said Bennett.

"The penalty had been completed and everything else and they blow a penalty for being offside.

"If you're offside, you're offside, it should have been called long before he made the tackle.

"He puts the guys on the ground and all of a sudden he's offside."

Brisbane hooker Michael Ennis may have an anxious weekend after a tackle in the 51st minute which could attract the attention of the match review committee.

Brisbane fullback Denan Kemp had a mixed night, scoring his 16th try and then making a mess of two passes in the second half that could have changed the result.

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