Jason Nightingale focusing on new season

Dragons veteran Jason Nightingale admits he's still getting used to life without Brett Morris as he prepares for the first season of his career without his longtime wing partner.

Morris' decision to leave the Dragons to take up a lucrative deal alongside brother Josh at the Bulldogs split up what was regarded by many as the best wing duo in the competition.

Nightingale enjoyed an extended break following his successful Four Nations campaign with New Zealand and returned to a host of new faces. Asked if he's ever seen such a drastic roster overhaul in his time at the club Nightingale said: "I think maybe once back when I debuted back in 2007. We had a lot of new faces in that squad and that's probably the last time we had such a big influx and movement of players."

But as Nightingale carries on with life in the Red V, Morris is settling into his new home at Canterbury.

The Australian winger went under the knife post-season to repair a damaged shoulder and is due to resume contact work at training this week.

Morris missed the Auckland Nines and is itching to pull on a Bulldogs strip for the first time.

"Obviously a change of club for me is a massive thing," Morris said.

"New set of players, new coaching staff, all the new plays I've had to learn, it's been very enjoyable for me.

"There's a bit of expectation on myself but that's something I thrive on."

Morris is undoubtedly the most conspicuous absence and while he and Nightingale still speak regularly - the name 'B Moz' flashed on his phone as he spoke to the Mercury - "Gypsy" said not taking the field together will take some adjusting to.

"That is a bit different, it's certainly an adjustment," Nightingale.

"I've played with him since I was 16-17 years old so it was a long time there.

"Having someone like that who was in the same position as me ... I used to bounce ideas off him and he'd do the same with me and it helped both our games.

"It is different not having that sounding board but I can use people like Benny Hornby who knows everything about everything. You've got different mentors in the game and obviously Mary was a centre himself and there's other people around the place that are really knowledgeable. I definitely miss having Brett around but he's made a decision that was best for him."

While he has lost another teammate from the Dragons 2010 premiership winning side Nightingale has welcomed the return of two more with Hornby and Dean Young added to McGregor's fulltime coaching staff.

"It's awesome having those guys around," Nightingale said.

"They were great mentors for me when I was playing with them and they still are as coaches. You won't find too many people who know more about rugby league than Deano and Benny."

Their lengthy playing history also means that Nightingale - unlike the rest of the squad - can afford a playful jibe at his former skipper.

"It probably gets a bit confrontational when Benny Hornby's teaching me how to tackle and I'm remembering back to the days when we used to train for defence," Nightingale joked.

"He always put it into the games but I can't remember him doing too many contact sessions at training."