Wayne Bennett confirmed his standing as the NRL's greatest coach by delivering St George Illawarra a long-awaited premiership with a 32-8 grand final win over the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.

Without doubt the game's biggest underachievers since forming a joint venture in 1998, Bennett's Dragons put the stamp on two years of utter dominance and erased 31 years of torment for red and white faithful since their last title in 1979.

Years of finals failure were finally extinguished as the Dragons rebounded from an 6-8 halftime deficit to blow the Roosters away with four unanswered tries after the break and finally shed monkey from back.

"It's been a long time coming but we got there and to all the fans that came out tonight - to all the true believers," skipper Ben Hornby said.

"We've worked so hard for two years, we've been knocked down but got back up again each time and now we're here - let's celebrate.

"We were behind at halftime but we showed the belief and courage we have showed all year.

"It's unexplainable until you go through - we were only two points down at halftime, we played terrible - we just knew we could turn it around."

Fullback Darius Boyd was deservedly given the Clive Churchill Medal for an influential display, while Jamie Soward's accuracy with the boot helped keep the Roosters at bay after a courageous first half display which typified their effort in getting to the grand final after collecting last year's wooden spoon.

"This is awesome, the best moment of my life and so glad to be a part of it, so proud of all out team," Soward said.

"We've been the best team all year, we just needed to put on on the day."

The win also erased the pain of last year's finals fade-out, but they would have been worried when they were down at the break after a pair of dubious decisions went the way of both sides.

The Dragons were the first to benefit from unfathomable refereeing calls when touch judge Jeff Younis missed Brett Morris putting both feet into touch in a raid down the left flank.

On the next play, with the Roosters retreating, Soward put in a pinpoint cross-field kick which Mark Gasnier reeled in - his mid-year return from rugby union all worthwhile as he touched down just inside the dead-ball line.

The cheers soon turned to jeers however when the Roosters scored twice in the space of four minutes to claim the lead by the midway point of the half - their first four-pointer with more than a touch of doubt.

Todd Carney put up a high kick, Joseph Leilua collected but the teenage winger then lost the ball as he planted it on Soward's leg in attempting to score.

Braith Anasta put his hand on the rolling ball for a remarkable try, confirmed by video referee Bill Harrigan.

The red and whites were rattled and it was no surprise when a Beau Scott fumble on his own 30-metre line allowed Mitchell Aubusson to make it 8-6 as he barged over out wide, Carney's inaccuracy with the boot keeping the margin tight.

Another Dragons choke loomed, but master coach Wayne Bennett got his troops refocused at the break, a repeat setting the tone as Boyd put Jason Nightingale over for his first; his second on the hour mark putting the Dragons out by more than a converted try.

The swagger was back as the joint venture pressed hard, Dean Young crashing over despite the hint of a knock-on.

He proudly celebrated by pointing to the badge on his jumper - the same St George on the jumper his father wore when he captained the last Dragons side to win a competition.

With Soward lining up for a field goal to put the icing on the cake, Nathan Fien instead celebrated a stunning return to the paddock from a badly broken ankle earlier in the year with a try to kick-start celebrations for the patient fans.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP