Experience shapes as the key for Anthony Griffin's St George Illawarra in 2022.
A crop of uber-talented youngsters crucially have more of it after being blooded last season while a series of veteran signings will add further depth and leadership.
Coming into a make-or-break second year in charge, Griffin is steeling the Dragons to find the consistency needed to reach the finals for the first time since 2018.
Having identified the need for a "stronger, deeper forward pack", Griffin has recruited a slew of tall timber including Aaron Woods, Francis Molo, Jack Gosiewski and George Burgess.
"It gives us a stronger pack on paper," Griffin told AAP.
"In the end it's about what we do when we get to play though.
"The other guys are going really well. (Jack) De Belin's had his first off-season for a long time, so we're hoping that we're going to be a lot stronger in that area."
De Belin, who played 11 matches in 2021 after a two-and-a-half-year NRL lay-off as he fought a legal case, has added "three or four kilos" onto his already sizeable frame over the summer.
"He's going to be able to get the ball forward for us as well in the middle," Griffin said, adding a mooted move from prop to lock is yet to be decided.
"But he does have the ability to link with the halves, so I'm sure he'll do that."
Round-one positions will be up for grabs in trials against Parramatta and South Sydney.
Burgess, the former Rabbitohs prop returning to the NRL after major hip surgery, has just finished a "real intense five-week block" of training and will play in both pre-season games.
Tyrell Sloan and Cody Ramsey are competing for the fullback jersey vacated by Canterbury signing Matt Dufty while one of Jayden Sullivan and Talatau Amone will partner captain Ben Hunt in the halves.
Depending on how they trial, Griffin said he could find a way to pick them all for the season-opener against the Warriors.
Many assumed the No.1 jersey was 19-year-old Sloan's after scoring five tries in six games as a rookie, but Griffin also has a huge opinion of Ramsey.
"He's very quick, a great learner, he's worked really hard on his physical preparation," Griffin said when asked what he liked about the 21-year-old who made his debut on the wing in 2020.
"This off-season he's put on another four or five kilos. He's a really good team man, great club man.
"He's got a share of natural talent but his attitude is impeccable."
While Griffin has made defence a cornerstone, he's "spent a lot of time" planning St George Illawarra's attack and will encourage his young playmakers to back themselves.
"We're lucky we've got Ben Hunt and (hooker) Andrew McCullough, who are two really experienced guys that are going to touch the ball first," he said.
"But they're all a little bit different, Sullivan, Sloan and Amone. They've got different strengths, Ramsey at fullback as well.
"We're making sure we've got a really clear structure to work off at both ends of the field.
"That'll give them the ability to play to their strengths."
