At Suncorp Stadium, form and history suggests Bennett will be leaning more to the takething away part. For St George Illawarra, who must win as they lustfully bound after the top eight, trying to beat the Broncos of late has been as demoralising as looking over to see Usain Bolt in the next lane of a 100-metre final.

But hey, even Bolt gets a cramp from time to time. Brisbane would need to seize up completely given their dominance over recent rounds, which has seen them score 86 points and concede just 10 in the past fortnight. They are seeing them like watermelons as spring arrives early at Red Hill.

Add to that a suite of stats that says this fixture is a nightmare for coach Paul McGregor and his team - no wins in Brisbane since 2009, one victory in their past 12 meetings, nine consecutive losses at Suncorp Stadium - and the gravity of the scenario becomes overwhelming.

It shouldn't have come to this for St George Illawarra. Losses to South Sydney and the Knights have put them in a scenario where they must beat the game's hottest attacking side on their home track to remain a live hope for September football.

To add to the task, McGregor announced on Thursday that two of his players were injured at training and another two have contracted the dreaded man-flu. Exactly which four were struck down, he wouldn't say, although that shouldn't be interpreted to mean some or all won't take part.

"Two guys stayed in bed this morning because they were ill with flu and we lost two at training today. We brought 21 players up so we have coverage," McGregor said.

"We came up a day early on Wednesday thinking we would get the jump but a couple of guys woke up under the weather and now this."

For Bennett to preside over the team that may effectively end the Dragons' finals ambitions would be fodder for those that feel the supercoach left the club in a questionable state when he departed after three seasons in 2011.

But what price a premiership? Bennett was head-hunted to provide the joint venture with its first grand final victory and duly delivered in 2010. What few counted on in the heady days was the duration of the rebuild, which has seen St George Illawarra feature in the finals just once (2015) since Bennett's departure.

While that has been painful for a club with such a rich history of success, Bennett has nothing but fond memories of his tenure.

"I enjoy playing against good football clubs. They're a good football team. I had a wonderful three years there and have a lot or relationships there. We play great footy against each other, Dragons-Broncos has never been anything else but good football," Bennett said on Thursday.

He doesn't agree the Dragons are the only team with something to play for on Friday, even if they are the very definition of "desperate" after two losses that shattered hearts in the dressing room and among disbelieving supporters. The bounce-back against the Titans was welcome but may end up being too little, too late.

Bennett wants a top-two finish but more importantly, wants his team to continue its brilliant touch throughout the final rounds.

"There are reasons for us to win as well. It should be a really good game of football. They're at the place where they need to win, we're in a place where we want to maintain momentum," he said.

"It's the right end of the season to be playing like this. That's our challenge right now, to maintain the way we've been playing over the past few weeks."

Bennett is hardly counting this as an easy night at the office. When asked if Melbourne were able to be beaten this season, he replied: "Everybody's beatable. We're beatable [Friday] night."

Should it go pear-shaped for the Dragons, there may be one redeeming feature to the broadcast should Ben Hunt continue to shine in his new role at hooker, where he replaces the injured Andrew McCullough.

He was a prized signing for St George Illawarra and joins them in 2018 on a five-year, $6 million deal. Since the move was announced in January, the halfback has only grown in stature, becoming a Maroons Origin player and over recent weeks, reminding everyone of his flexibility within a squad.

Bennett said Hunt had no reason for nerves, or to prove the Dragons he was worth the money.

"I don't think you get excited about playing [a club] you're joining. I don't think that's an issue. When you've played somewhere, you sometimes want to prove a point.

"In Ben's case, he's got nothing to prove to the Dragons. He's going there for the next five or six years, deal is done. He won't be showing them what he can do. They know what he can do - that's why they bought him."

McGregor was quick to pour cold water on playing Hunt as a No.9 when he finally arrives, despite suggestions from former Blues and Newcastle rake Danny Buderus that he suits that role better than No.7.

"I have already got my hooker," McGregor said. "He has done what has been needed for the team [playing hooker]. They have lost a quality player in McCullough but he has come on and really held his own.

"I looked at him as a player who could take the club in a new direction [at halfback] - I haven't changed my opinion. He is on the top end of the halfbacks going around."