Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart accused his side of "taking soft choices" in its 22-20 implosion to St George Illawarra at Canberra Stadium on Saturday, admitting the performance of some individuals wasn't up to NRL standard.
The Raiders led 18-0 after 20 minutes and appeared to be cruising to an easy win against the Dragons, who started the game as woefully as they'd played the previous two weeks.
But a litany of errors and poor discipline by Canberra allowed the Dragons back into the game, with former Raider Joel Thompson completing the rescue mission with a 75th-minute try.
This is the type of comeback the Dragons are used to being on the wrong end of in Canberra, not the ones dishing it out.
They'd lost in the capital for 14-straight seasons before a 34-16 win last year, the majority of those losses featuring late drama.
This time the shoe was on the other foot, the visitors making Canberra pay for failing to put them away early when they were dominant.
It looked a like a procession was in store for Canberra, with off-season recruits Blake Austin, Josh Hodgson and Iosia Soliola scoring their first tries for the Raiders to build an 18-0 lead.
The Dragons' began the game terribly, with errors, poor defence and second rate last tackle options crippling them.
But once they got it together, the Raiders fell apart, ensuring prop Dane Tilse walked away a loser in his 200th NRL game.
Halves Austin and Mitch Cornish in particular were guilty of drifting out of the match at critical times when their team needed direction.
Two of the Dragons' tries bore the brunt of Stuart's frustration. Prop Trent Merrin brushed aside a Josh McCrone tackle to breathe life into the Red V just before half-time, closing to 18-8.
With 11 minutes left hooker Mitch Rein scored from dummy-half from 50 metres out to get the Dragons to within 20-18.
"It's not good enough," Stuart said.
"The 25-minute mark we brought them right back in the game, just with soft choices and poor pieces of play.
"We basically invited them back into the contest, and they took that invitation."
The Raiders were fuming after a try to Austin was disallowed late in the first half for a double movement which would have given Canberra a 24-0 lead.
It was given the red light by the video referees after one quick view, but the decision will spark plenty of debate.
Coaches are hesitant to discuss controversial decisions, for fear of being fined by the NRL after they ruled this year referees are off limits.
Asked if he thought the decision was right Stuart offered only: "What did you make of it? It doesn't matter now, does it?
"No [I don't want to comment], it's a waste of time."
Thompson showed great strength to score with five minutes left, Gareth Widdop's conversion securing the Dragons' second-straight win in the capital after a previous 14-year drought.
Canberra's loss was compounded by a knee injury to Melbourne Storm recruit Sisa Waqa, the winger limping off during the second half.
Dragons fullback Dugan told friends during the week he was desperate to return from an ankle injury and celebrate his 100th NRL game with victory over the club that sacked him.
While Dugan was relatively quiet, the win will ease the pressure on Dragons boss Peter Doust and coach Paul McGregor, who have been under siege from fans after their club scored just two tries in two losses to begin the year.
"You can understand the disappoint sometimes," McGregor said.
"We're working around the clock to please them though and I understand the frustration, we're working hard to fix things."
Tries to Merrin and Jason Nightingale either side of half-time got the visitors back into the game at 20-12.
But after a Dragons kick went dead in-goal, Dugan was sin-binned for stripping the ball from Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker as he rushed back for a quick restart.
The 11,774 crowd sounded like 25,000 as the Raiders faithful cheered the decision, before booing Dugan as he trudged off the field.
But it was Dugan who had the last laugh, thanks to Thompson.
Paul Vaughan started at lock for the Raiders in place of Thompson and ran for 157 metres off 21 carries.
Debutant centre Euan Aitken was outstanding for the Dragons making nine tackle breaks, 179 metres and nearly scoring late in the match.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 22 (Trent Merrin, Jason NIghtingale, Mitch Rein, Joel Thompson tries; Gareth Widdop 3 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 20 (Josh Hodgson, Iosia Soliola, Blake Austin tries; Jarrod Croker 4 goals) at Canberra Stadium on Saturday. Crowd: 11,774. Referees: Jared Maxwell and Gavin Morris.
