It will keep the 21-year-old far south coast product, who has been widely touted as an Origin star of the future, in Wollongong until at least the end of the 2020 season.

The decision to stay put comes just months after making his International debut with Scotland in the UK last year and was an easy one for the Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs junior.

"The St George Illawarra Dragons have been a good club to me, I've been here through all my junior years and come through the ranks to now first grade so it was an easy decision to re-sign for three more years," Aitken said.

“I really enjoy it here and I really like the direction the club is heading and I want to be a part of it.

“The club looks like it’s really building around the juniors and a few senior players there.

“Hopefully we get a few more locked up soon and we’ve got Ben Hunt coming in from the Broncos [in 2018].

“We’re obviously worried about this year first and I think we’re going to go a lot better than we did last year and hopefully there’s a good season to come.

2017 will be Aitken’s third season in the top grade after debuting in round three, 2015, against Canberra and club recruitment chief Ian Millaward said the rising star is a future leader of the club.

"It's always exciting when one of your own re-signs, especially a player and person like Euan," Millward said.

"He's only a young man who in two years has made his representative debut. He's a player that everyone loves playing with and he'll only improve.

"He's also one of the fittest players in our club and a player who we see will lead the way in future years.”