Benji Marshall has backed his jailed former Kiwi teammate Russell Packer to return to the NRL next season, but even if Packer is not cleared to play, the St George Illawarra halfback believes the Dragons still have the talent to make the finals.
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The Dragons are believed to have beaten Newcastle, Brisbane and Penrith for the services of Packer once he is released from jail for assaulting a 22-year-old man in Martin Place, Sydney, last November. But the NRL must agree to register his contract before he can resume playing.
Marshall is confident the time Packer has spent in jail will ensure the 25-year-old prop will not offend again and said he deserved a second chance.
"I know Russell really well, he is related to my best mate from the same area as me," Marshall said.
"Look at all the people who have been given second chances who have done misdemeanours off the field as well, so I think it is fair to give him a crack. He put himself in a situation that he will regret now and I am pretty sure that won't happen again. So we would be happy to have him."
The addition of Packer, who is reportedly in top physical shape, would provide a significant boost to the St George Illawarra forward pack, which was criticised last season as being too small.
Marshall compared Packer to Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and said he could be the enforcer that many believe the Dragons desperately need.
"He is just one of those players who you hate playing against, but when he is in your team you love him," Marshall said. "He is a grub, like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. He is exactly like Jared. As soon as they cross that white line something within their head clicks and they turn into a psycho. Then when they come off the field, they are humble and he [Packer] is real nice guy, a family man and great bloke.
"That is what you need in your team, you need someone like who is imposing on the field and if it creates a little bit of doubt in the opposition's minds, he is doing his job."
Besides Packer, St George Illawarra have added George Rose, 24-year-old New Zealand Maori prop Rulon Nutira, NSW Country player of the year Rory O'Brien and Junior Kiwis representatives Addin Fonua-Blake and Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard to their forward stocks.
In the backs, Brett Morris, Gerard Beale and Kyle Stanley have been replaced by former Queensland Origin centre Dane Nielsen, Fiji winger Eto Nabuli and halves Beau Henry, Kris Keating and Drew Hutchison, while Marshall said he had been impressed by under-20s centre Euan Aitken, who played alongside Hutchison for the Junior Kangaroos.
"I am confident," said Marshall, who declared himself the fittest he has been for five or six years after his first NRL off-season since before the 2008 World Cup. "Honestly, I think we have got a great side and not making the top eight would be unacceptable.
"The players we have got coming up from under-20s have really excited me, and Euan Aitken is probably the most professional player I have seen come through as a young bloke, probably the fittest player and the strongest for his age. He looks the goods and without wanting to put pressure on him, I reckon he could be the next big thing."
