After re-signing with St George Illawarra for the 2019 and 2020 seasons last September, the New Zealander has agreed to a one-year extension after impressing throughout the pre-season. 

The extension caps a rapid rise for the 25-year-old, who only arrived at the club midway through the 2017 season and made his NRL debut in round 19 last year. 

With Jason Nightingale retiring and Nene Macdonald moving to the North Queensland Cowboys, Pereira looks set to claim a starting spot for Saturday night's round one clash with the Cowboys in Townsville. 

And if the extension is anything to go by, he will likely remain there for the upcoming three seasons. 

Pereira was thrilled to have extended his time at the club.

"The long-term future is the key for me," Pereira said. "The security is huge for my partner and I. This will open many opportunities for us in the future as far as kids, buying a house and other things we're looking forward to.

"When I arrived at the Dragons, I knew I wasn't ready to play first grade but I knew if I was going to be ready I'd have to become a sponge and soak up all the information of the leaders and coaching staff around me.

"They have been crucial for my development, and the best thing is that I'm still learning."

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Dragons recruitment manager Ian Millward said Pereira has improved in leaps and bounds since arriving in Wollongong and the club expects him to continue to develop as he becomes more comfortable at the NRL level. 

"The biggest thing about Jordan is he's been on a fantastic journey and his attitude throughout has been admirable," Millward said. "He has improved significantly in training when you compare his first pre-season to now.

"We see nothing but improvement in Jordan as he evolves off the field in his training and also with further experience in the NRL. It's a no-brainer to keep him at the club, considering also his ability."