This is the cleanest the slate has been for St George Illawarra for a long time.
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Certainly at least since Peter Doust announced back in 2008 that Wayne Bennett would be replacing Nathan Brown.
Paul Vaughan's now at the Bulldogs; the infamous barbecue he hosted which led to the Dragons losing their remaining eight games to crash out of finals contention is just a bad memory.
The endless criticism from their own fanbase, of Steve Price and Paul McGregor is replaced by a general acceptance Anthony Griffin is an outsider with a mandate for change.
Griffin has the security of another season in charge in 2023 and the benefit of a year moulding the squad.
A decade-long, drought-breaking Charity Shield win over South Sydney has sparked optimism of a new dawn.
When Jack de Belin fronted the media this week, it felt like St George Illawarra could finally leave the recent past behind.
The sexual assault court case and retrial has undoubtedly been gut-wrenching and traumatising for all involved.
Read more: Pearson, Studdon halfback duel beckon
Whatever your impression of the whole, sordid saga, de Belin is free to prepare for a new season uninterrupted after spending the best part of three years sidelined under the NRL's no-fault stand-down policy.
De Belin, who played 11 games last year, is 30-years-old and it's up to him now to show whether his best is ahead, or if he was denied the opportunity to play in his prime.
The Dragons stood behind him the whole way and can now finally look forward.
Fans should expect a high degree of discipline in the ranks this year, given the roller-coaster ride of mostly lows.
There's also the belief Griffin is building something potentially special, if he can get the mix of youth and experience right.
Zac Lomax, Tyrell Sloan, Cody Ramsey, Max and Matt Feagai, Talatau Amone and Jayden Sullivan are the faces of a promising future for the club.
They are also a generation unburdened by the joint venture's failures in 1999, 2005, 2006 and 2009, which haunted players and fans alike until Bennett delivered the title in 2010.
At the same time Griffin has to squeeze the most out of veterans like Aaron Woods, Josh McGuire, Tariq Sims and Andrew McCullough to be a genuine finals contender.
George Burgess could be the buy of the year if fit, but the signing came with significant risk. And guys like de Belin, who made his debut in 2011, the year after the Dragons won the title, and 31-year-old half Ben Hunt are running out of chances to win an elusive premiership.
Kicking off against the Warriors next Saturday, the Dragons' demons of the past can leave them in peace.
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