NRLW 2019: Culture the biggest carrot for star-studded Dragons

The squad he's put together ahead of the upcoming season reads more like an All-Stars line-up than a club roster having lured Star trio Brittany Breayley, Maitua Feterika and Teulia Fotu-Moala south from Brisbane.

Former Helensburgh Tigerlilly Maddie Studdon has joined the club along with star outside back Tiana Penitani.

One might assume skipper Kezie Apps had a role to play in the recruitment process, but the incumbent Blues captain says she didn't have to do much selling at all.

"I had Lacey ring me and say 'you won't believe who wants to come and play for us'," Apps said.

"He rattled off some of the names, Britt, Teuila, Maitua and I thought he was pulling my leg. We've had girls knocking on our door and wanting to come and join the Dragons.

"I certainly feel they want to play for the Dragons, it's not a last resort or anything like that. We might not have the fanciest facilities like the Broncos or the Roosters might have but money can't buy happiness.

"It's about what you build and what you do within your club. Lacey's done a really good job at starting that culture for us and the senior playing group has tried to drive it.

"I'm not sure what the other clubs were like internally because you never really know but I know for a fact that what we've started is something special and we want to grow that culture."

Bookies are yet to frame markets for the NRLW premiership but you can bet the Dragons to be at very short odds when they eventually open.

That can be a heavy burden to carry, particularly in a month-long competition that offers very little room for error, and Apps says it's certainly not something that will factor into the squad's thinking.

"We won't be carrying that sort of tag on our own back," Apps said.

"On paper we seem really strong but you look at the Roosters last year, they looked really strong on paper but it took them a few games to get the hang of things.

"Everyone's in the same boat this year. We don't have long together, we can't start the season slow and develop as it goes, we've got to be switched on from the get go.

"It's pretty much rep footy so anything can happen. We're still a fresh a group that hasn't played together before so it's going to be all new trying to build those combinations.

"As much as the media might say we'll go into it as favourites, I don't want that in the girls heads at all."

They might now boast the most stacked roster in the NRLW, but Apps says junior development will continue to be the key focus for the club.

Local juniors Shakiah Tungai and Keeley Davis both earned rep honours last season, the latter a maiden Jillaroos jumper, and will return in 2019.

Rikeyah Horne is another youngster to return while Tarsha Gale Cup standouts Maddie Weatherall and Aaliyah Fasavalu-Fa'amausili have been elevated from development player status to the full squad this season.

"As a club we're all about growing our talent and growing the women's game," Apps said.

"We've signed Keeley, Shak and Rik again and Madd [Studdon] started playing for Helensburgh when she started her rugby league career so I'm really excited that she's back with us.

"Last year we had two development players in Maddison and Aaliyah. They were too young to play NRLW but they absolutely killed the Tarsha Gale Cup and they're able to play this year.

"We've signed on four girls as development players for the future and next year they can hopefully slot straight in. We are thinking of the future and we want to develop the younger girls."