Canberra have ended a tumultuous week in perfect fashion after holding on to beat St George Illawarra 24-22 to keep their NRL season alive.

With coach Ricky Stuart banned from attending GIO Stadium and speaking to his players as part of the fallout from his tirade at Penrith’s Jaeman Salmon, Canberra survived a late scare to finish round 22 one game outside the top-eight.

Canberra assistant coach Brett White said Stuart would have been on edge as the Dragons threatened a comeback to steal the game.

“But he wouldn’t want it to be about him, we’re still fighting for finals, we’re still punching away,” White said. 

“The week is done, ‘Sticky’ (Stuart) will be back in on Wednesday, and it’s all finished as far as we’re concerned.

“He’s done his time and what Ricky’s done for this club … what he’s done for the community, that’s who he is.”

Dragons’ five-eighth Talatau Amone had looked to end the Raiders’ season with a late onslaught, completing his first career hat-trick before creating Tautau Moga’s 75th-minute try, only for Zac Lomax to push a potentially equalising conversion attempt wide.

It allowed the Raiders to end round 22 still one game back from the eighth-ranked Sydney Roosters with three games before the finals.

Young fullback Xavier Savage had his fingerprints all over Sunday’s win with two try-assists, including a sweet grubberkick that allowed winger Albert Hopoate to score, while also running for 158m.

With star prop Joe Tapine missing because of a rib injury, the Raiders’ forwards shared the workload.

They were led by Josh Papalii (140m), Ryan Sutton (110m) and Hudson Young (67m), who scored the game’s opening try from a Zac Woolford grubberkick.

“The leaders have been fantastic this week … that’s where the drive this week really came from and why we’re able to just keep things as normal,” White said.

“While there’s a chance, we’ll keep fighting and I just said to the boys we’ll just keep punching away.”

The loss removes the Dragons’ from the finals equation, having won just one of their past six matches in a disappointing end to their year.

They hit the front in the first half as Amone twice capitalised on soft Canberra defensive efforts to score tries, but couldn’t stay with the Raiders when their intensity lifted.

“(Amone) was outstanding, it’s been a tough year for ‘Junior’, first year as a full-time starting five-eighth … in our most important game of the year I thought he really stood up which is great,” Dragons coach Anthony Griffin said.

“(Against) good sides playing away from home, we just gave them points too easily at different times and it was too hard to reel back.

“But that’s not to question the character we showed all day.”