Mitch Rein and Matt Prior. Picture: ORLANDO CHIODO
Dan Hunt and Jack de Belin.
Daniel Vidot and Gerard Beale.
Jamie Soward.
Wil Matthews, Matt Cooper, Ben Creagh and their trainer.
Wil Matthews and Ben Creagh.
Kem Seru and Atelea Vea.
Kem Seru
Kem Seru
RUGBY LEAGUE
St George Illawarra launched into the next phase of their pre-season training schedule yesterday, focusing on arguably the most important element so far: attack.
The Dragons produced the worst offensive numbers in the NRL in 2012, tallying 405 points for the entire campaign.
But the side has returned to the pre-season hopeful of making amends for last year's shortcomings.
Yesterday, new recruits Josh Drinkwater and Todd Ryan (promoted from the under 20s) featured in the side's first phase of ballwork.
Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward said there were already promising signs emerging two months out from the side's season-opener against Melbourne.
"It's one of those things that you can't do too much of," Soward said.
"Our defence has been pretty good the last couple of years, but obviously our attack was made a big deal of last year. We'll be working on it really hard in the next month.
"I'm sure we'll try a few different things to keep on top of our attack. It was such a talking point last year and a real focus point for everything."
The Dragons' first opportunity to test an updated attack - likely to feature Soward and Nathan Fien in the halves - will be in a trial against North Queensland next month.
Before then, the squad will use opposed sessions, video and extensive ballwork sessions to slowly refine their new blueprint.
"We've got no excuses this year, we're going to have all the facilities and everyone training against us opposed," Soward said.
"We're all working to the same goal. Everyone starts on zero points and I think that's the important thing for us to remember - last year was last year.
"We've been training really well and everyone's looking forward to starting back."