RUGBY LEAGUE
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Exciting rookie Euan Aitken is beginning to think he might be a lucky charm for the Dragons.
And perhaps he's right.
After all, St George Illawarra has not lost a game with Aitken on the field.
He was handed his debut jumper just 24 hours before last week's trip to Canberra to replace then-injured Dane Nielsen at left centre.
Aitken grabbed the opportunity with both hands and returned 17 carries for 192 metres, 12 tackles and eight tackle breaks to announce himself on the big stage.
The Dragons rallied from an 18-0 defecit to win the game 22-20.
With Nielsen later stood down by the club for breaching its code of conduct, Aitken retained his spot in the starting line-up for Saturday's home game against Manly.
He enjoyed another big performance, this time notching 18 runs for 139 metres as well as 13 tackles.
He was unlucky not to be awarded his first NRL try when he planted the ball over the line late in the second half, only for the referee to call a forward pass.
"I thought I was a bit unlucky," Aitken said after the game.
"Gaz [Gareth Widdop] passed the ball, I thought it was flat at worst, but you go with the ref's call."
He might not have affected the scoreboard but the Dragons went on to beat the Sea Eagles 12-4.
With two wins from two games, Aitken has been gifted a perfect start to his NRL career.
"Bit of a lucky charm maybe? I'm not sure," he said.
"I couldn't be more happy.
"It's great to get another win, the boys dug deep ... it was a great defensive effort. Hopefully we can continue this form."
Aitken, 19, is considered one of the game's brightest young prospects and received a big rap from Kiwi international Benji Marshall during pre-season when the latter said: "I think Euan is going to be the next big thing".
And with Nielsen's immediate future at the club up in the air, Aitken is keen to make the No.3 jumper his own.
He hopes he has shown coach Paul McGregor enough over the past two games to secure a full-time role at left centre.
"As long as my form keeps going the way it is, I think he [McGregor] has the faith in me to play," Aitken said.
"If I do that I think I'm going to stay there."
Aitken hopes to retain his spot for this week's trip to Newcastle, where he will have another crack at registering his first NRL points.