It's a mentality that highlights the desperation within the St George Illawarra camp, that so much confidence can be garnered by a fifth-straight NRL loss.

If ever a loss was being treated like a win, it was the Dragons' 8-6 defeat to Melbourne on Friday night, a result which seriously dented their top-four hopes.

But judging by the mood down at the premiers' Wollongong base on Tuesday, you could be excused for thinking it was full steam ahead towards a successful title defence.

There was an air of confidence about the way the team trained, the chirpiness and intensity obvious.

"We took some positives out of the Melbourne game, to go down there and just lose by two points to the best team in the comp and we took a lot out of our defence," prop Trent Merrin said.

It's an understandable sentiment given it has been at the defensive end where the Dragons have been most vulnerable during their slide down the ladder.

To hold the Storm - who had the best attack in the league heading into the game - to one try, was an enormous feat.

So, any worries about an attack that produced just one try despite a string of decent opportunities?

"No, not at all - we had plenty of opportunities to score tries. We just missed a few things," front rower Dan Hunt said.

"We've got the Warriors to rectify that this weekend."

If Dragons coach Wayne Bennett was worried his side might be down on themselves following a run that has produced just two wins from 11 games, he need not be concerned.

But two competition points would be welcomed by the red and whites.

"It's important for us to get away with a win to start getting the ball rolling," Merrin said.

"I think if we back up our efforts on the weekend, we should be sweet."

The Dragons will welcome back representative pair Mark Gasnier and Brett Morris for Sunday's meeting with the Warriors at WIN Stadium.

Morris missed the trip south following the birth of his first child while Gasnier was a late scratching after failing a fitness test on his injured hip.

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