HE says he does not know too much about his squad yet but new St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett can promise fans one thing in the 2009 NRL season.

No one will be label the Dragons as softies.

After picking up New Zealand World Cup forward Jeremy Smith, former Penrith hooker Luke Priddis and Canberra forwards Neville Costigan and Michael Weyman, Bennett said his team would show plenty of starch in the season ahead.

"There’s a perception that St George haven’t been tough, well I guarantee you they’ll be tough next year," said Bennett at his first Dragons training session in Wollongong yesterday.

"If they’ve (Dragons) under-achieved, and that’s the perception, well it doesn’t all fall back on the coaches they’ve had here before, there’s got to be some other underlying factors.

"I’ve got to find out what that is and I haven’t come here with any preconceived ideas.

"I’ve got to look, listen, watch and start to pick up the things that I think we need to improve."

Bennett’s 21 years with the Brisbane club yielded six premierships and also brought him stints in charge of the Queensland and Australian teams.

But with the Dragons trying to end to a 30-year premiership drought, Bennett is under no illusions about the task he faces, rating it among his biggest challenges.

"It’s up there with them, every time you go out of your comfort zone you challenge yourself," Bennett said.

"Being here today, you know that you’ve got to be up for it, you know that you’re going to have to be on your toes and at your best because it’s going to require all of those things to meet the challenge that lies here, being part of a great club.

"This is an icon club and you know that people are expecting a lot."

St George won the last of its 15 titles in 1979 and have lost five grand finals since – including two to Bennett’s Broncos in 1992 and 1993 and one since the joint venture with Illawarra, in 1999.

Bennett admitted the loss of key players such as Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles would take some filling.

Share this article