St George Illawarra veteran Wendell Sailor says the Dragons must show some pride and stop acting like schoolkids if they're to shed the chokers tag that hangs over their 2009 NRL season.

Sailor admitted he wanted to "hide under a rock" during the Dragons' embarrassing 41-6 loss to South Sydney on Saturday night as the crowd slammed the red and whites as "chokers".

It was their third loss in a row and one which could not only ruin their minor premiership aspirations, but leaves their top two finish in serious danger ahead of Friday's clash with red-hot Parramatta at Kogarah.

Coach Wayne Bennett says a loss to the Eels would all but ruin the Dragons' hopes of claiming the NRL title, while Sailor says the players must get over any mental issues they have if they're to make something of their brilliant first 22 weeks of the season.

"I could hear the crowd out there just calling out chokers and it fires me up a little bit," said Sailor.

"This is the Dragons and people are going to say that and our players have to cop that and we only have ourselves to blame on our little slide here.

"But to turn it around we have to get out there for 80 minutes and turn things around and play good footy for people to respect you again.

"I know Wayne Bennett is not a choker, he has won a lot of Origins and premierships.

"(Bennett) has given us all the right words and all the right game-plans, we just need to be smart. No disrespect but we're just like those little schoolkids that think there is a better way to do it and there's not a better way to do it.

"We just have to buy into it. We have bought into it most of the season ... (but) the last three or four weeks we think there is an easier way and there's not an easier way.

"We're all looking for that shortcut and that's what happens when you look for the shortcut, you get towelled up."

Sailor agreed with Bennett's claim that a loss to the Eels next week could end their premiership claims, adding that it's near impossible to turn fortunes around if you limp into the finals.

"I've limped into the play-offs before and it's not much fun. You get your arses smacked in the first week and even if we are top two I don't want to be there making up the numbers," said Sailor.

"I know this side has all the right ingredients to be there but if you don't put it together, as we showed out there, we are getting beaten by sides who aren't even in the top eight.

"This is not the time to be losing games, but not just losing, we got pumped.

"If we have any sort of pride about our fans and ourselves we have to get back and really have a dig for 80 minutes.

"It's not over but if we keep playing like that, it's going to be over in two weeks for us."

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