Dragons front-rower Blake Lawrie has revealed that the club is aiming for a top-four finish this season, as they continue to improve each week.
After starting their season off with a win against the Titans they slumped to back-to-back losses where they conceded 80 points against the Broncos and Sharks.
However, in the past two weeks, they have looked like a different side that started the season. After putting on a clinic against the Dolphins at home winning 38-12, they were unlucky not to walk away with the win last week against the Titans only losing by two points.
Coming up against the Canberra Raiders this week, a win could potentially move them into the top eight depending on other results.
"You want to win every week, especially after our last two performances. We got 40 points on us the past two weeks, and if you get 40 points put on you, then you're not going to win any game," Lawrie had previously stated.
"Top-four teams keep teams to under 16 points, and that's what our goal is. We want to be top four, so it's purely been a defensive focus for us."
Despite solid performances other than those two games, there has been constant speculation on who will lead them as head coach.
While the players may believe in Anthony Griffin, there have been reports that the Dragons have met up with the agent of Jason Ryles, Ben Hornby and Des Hasler.
Lawrie admitted that although there is much speculation, the players haven't been distracted and are instead focused on doing the job on hand and aiming to reach the finals.
"I am just focused on doing my job, and ‘Hook' is focused on doing his job," Lawrie said.
"If we keep doing that, then Hook will be here beyond the end of this year."
"That's what we want to do. We want to be top four."
"The responsibility is on the 17 players who take the jersey each week. Obviously ‘Hook' puts a game plan in place, and we have to stick to it."
Earmarked as a future captain of the club, Lawrie has needed to stand up this season after the departure of key experience forwards Tariq Sims, Josh McGuire and Aaron Woods.
"If I do my job properly and win my physical battles, then hopefully the results take care of themselves."
"It took me 91 games to score one and I've scored three in the last 15 games but I just need to go out and do my job," Lawrie joked about scoring more tries this season than he had previously.
