Robson acknowledged he still has critics despite helping to lead the Eels to the grand final last season, with his two-try effort putting him in front in the early running with Kris Keating for the number seven jersey.

The Dragons raced out to a 16-0 lead inside 35 minutes but the Eels ran in four of the next five tries to close the gap to just two points with 13 minutes remaining.

But with the game on the line St George lifted another gear, with tries to hooker Nathan Fien and Michael Lett in the dying stages securing the six-tries-to-four win.

Both sides fielded a mix of first-graders and up-and-comers as St George were on the back foot for much of the opening 15 minutes but against the run of play last year's minor premiers struck first, with a dangerous bomb from Fien finding a running Jason Nightingale five metres from the line.

Nightingale couldn't handle the ball but Nick Emmett ran on to the spillage to open the scoring.

An inside pass from hooker Luke Priddis to front rower Ricky Thorby opened up the Eels' defence for the second try of the night, with Bronx Goodwin's conversion making it 10-0 after 30 minutes.

Parramatta were struggling to stem the tide and Nightingale made it 16-0 five minutes before half-time when he shook off three Eels tacklers in a 30m sprint to the line.

Parramatta made the most of their double hit of good fortune, scoring on the stroke of half-time when a neat grubber kick from Kris Keating put Robson over, making it 16-4 at the break.

Eels winger Etu Uaisele closed the gap to 16-8 early in the second half and although a Jake Marketo try extended the buffer out to 22-8, Parramatta were clearly on the charge.

Their dominance of possession paid off just a minute before three-quarter time, with Keating and run-on captain Feleti Mateo exchanging passes to expose the Dragons' defence.

But despite closing the gap to two points the Eels couldn't land the killer blow, with the Dragons racing in two late tries to secure victory.