St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett will use next month's Charity Shield showdown with South Sydney as a virtual audition for starting positions this season.
Bennett admitted the preseason battle with their old rivals would be more crucial than ever because of his commitments with the NRL All Stars team - which means he will miss the Dragons' first trial game against Parramatta in Perth.
There are a number of pieces still to fit in the Bennett jigsaw puzzle this year, following the exit of Justin Poore, the retirement of Wendell Sailor and long-term injury to Neville Costigan.
Full coverage of the Dragons "There'll be a (Dragons) player in the indigenous team and one in the All Stars and I won't be at the game myself when we play the trial in Perth.
"In the Charity Shield game we will try and get close to our best team on the field that night, we won't have a real opportunity other than the one other trial," Bennett said.
Former South Sydney player Michael Greenfield is one of several props eyeing off Poore's position, along with Jarrod Saffy, last year's interchange forward Dan Hunt and ex-under-20 captain Trent Merrin.
Kiwi Jason Nightingale is favoured to win Sailor's position, with Michael Lett and recruit Peni Tagive also in the mix.
The Dragons trial in Perth is on February 14, the day after the inaugural All Star game on the Gold Coast.
Five-eighth Jamie Soward will play in the match for the indigenous team.
St George Illawarra will then play the Bulldogs in the Mercury Challenge on February 20, where the Dragons are expected to trial fringe players before the Charity Shield at ANZ Stadium on February 27.
Bennett said this season's preseason training had been easier than when he arrived at the club last year.
"When you've been at a place for a little while you feel more comfortable there and I'm certainly in that boat," he said.
"I just didn't realise what a big challenge I'd taken on until they got back this year and (I) realised how much more easy it was working with the guys after 12 months with them.
"It's a lot more easy this preseason than last."
Email a friend