![Michael Molo and his St George Illawarra team-mates training in Wollongong on Monday ahead of their season opener away to the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night. Picture by Robert Peet Michael Molo and his St George Illawarra team-mates training in Wollongong on Monday ahead of their season opener away to the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night. Picture by Robert Peet](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/kZL4qV6yTxfrWZJxKQxjSN/6462362e-0f63-4550-b2ae-6dd8e74f4f85.jpg/r0_85_1600_985_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
St George Illawarra fans should expect the Dragons to finish in the top eight as far as forward Michael Molo is concerned.
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Molo said as much on Monday when he spoke to the media ahead of the Dragons NRL season opener against the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday.
The 27-year-old said St George Illawarra were looking fit and ready to go after a long preseason under new coach Shane Flanagan.
"I feel way better than this time last year. It's probably the fittest I felt," Molo said.
He added Red V fans could expect their team to compete right to the end this season.
When pressed if the Dragons' fans should expect St George Illawarra to finish in the top eight this campaign, Molo said "absolutely, 100 per cent".
This confidence should be music to the ears for Dragons fans, who endured a miserable season in 2023, with the club sacking coach Anthony Griffin halfway through and ending the season with interim-coach Ryan Carr.
The appointment of Flanagan as head coach has Dragons fans optimistic St George Illawarra can return to finals football for the first time since 2018.
Red V fans have also taken heart from the recruitment of some quality players, especially in the forwards, with the likes of Luciano Leilua, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Tom Eisenhuth on board for season 2024.
The Dragons are also expecting a lot from their rising young forwards the Couchman brothers Ryan and Toby, as well as Viliami Fifita and Dylan Egan.
Molo, who has played 27 games for the Dragons since joining big brother and fellow prop Francis Molo at the club in 2022, said the new recruits had already added plenty of depth and experience to the squad.
"It's been great to welcome so many new forwards to our club. They're not only great players, they bring heaps of experience to the club," he said.
"Those guys have already passed on some of their knowledge and personally it's been great to get as many tips from them as possible.
"Leilua, Faitala-Mariner and Eisenhuth have settled in really well and it's been great to just see how they go about things in training.
"Leilua has been training really well actually. I can't wait to see him playing for us. He is a powerful ball runner who is hard to handle. I'm sure he will be very good for us."
Molo has welcomed the new forwards even though it means there is more competition for places.
"That's a good thing for the team. Personally I need to work hard every day to ensure I give myself the best chance of making the 17 week in, week out," he said.
"My goal this year is just to play consistent footy and to always try to better myself each week.
"I just want to put my best foot forward, just want to be in the 17 each week.
"I have some personal goals in terms of helping the team win as many games as possible but it starts with just playing consistent footy and being in that 17 each week."
Las Vegas dreaming:
Molo added watching the NRL kick-off its season with two games in Las Vegas on Sunday, had him excited about the season ahead and of possibly one-day playing in the city that never sleeps with the Dragons one day.
"It was such a great spectacle. I really enjoyed it," he said.
"Watching the games made me even more excited to kick-off our own season. It's been such a long preseason, I can't wait for the Titans game.
"As for playing in Vegas in the future, I reckon the boys would love to play in another country if we were to get the chance."
Life under Flanagan:
Molo said the Dragons' immediate concern was on starting the season off with a victory against the Titans.
The Saturday night fixture is the first of two straight games in Queensland for St George Illawarra, who play the Dolphins in round two.
Despite the tricky start to the season Molo said Flanagan had the Dragons believing they were good enough to beat any team on their day.
"The boys have really dug in and everyone has listened to what Flanno has been saying......we're more than ready to play footy," he said.
'We got lots of talent in our team, we just need that self belief in ourselves.
"Flanno has got us really focusing hard on our body comps. The way we train, we've just got a really good attitude and I think that's going to show on the field this weekend.
"I'm sure you will see a much fitter and stronger team when we run out to play the Titans."