FOR fans it'll be as much about the new coaches as the players when St George Illawarra host Canterbury in a NRL trial on Saturday.

IT was impossible to miss the name listed next to number 22 when St George Illawarra's team sheet was released for the first trial of the season.

ST GEORGE Illawarra Dragons prop Michael Weyman set to be immortalised with a bronze statue.

GOLD Coast Titans forward Greg Bird has appealed for Willie Mason to be thrown an NRL lifeline, calling him one of the "superstars" of the game.

ST George Illawarra utility Nathan Fien has been called into the NRL All Stars squad as a replacement for Dragons teammate Ben Hornby.

CLUB captains Cameron Smith and Ben Hornby have been ruled out of the NRL All Stars team with injury.

WHEN Darius Boyd was weighing up heading to the Titans or following Wayne Bennett to Newcastle, the master coach had these wise words.

PAUL Gallen was the most popular pick, while Wayne Bennett sprung two surprises with his coach's pick in naming the NRL All Stars side. Team

THERE has been no shortage of brilliant players who have pulled on the Dragons No.1 jumper over the years.

JUST because they're tough, don't think your favourite NRL players are only interested in partying during the off season.

THE Bulldogs are gearing up for a massive play to make NSW Origin fullback Josh Dugan the first big-name recruit of new coach Des Hasler.

REIGNING premiers Manly face the possibility of being torn apart at the end of this year.

TERRY Campese's hopes of resurrecting his NSW Origin career received a huge boost yesterday when he was named in the emerging Blues squad.

PARRAMATTA have set their sights on NSW Origin enforcer Beau Scott, whose contract with St George Illawarra expires at the end of the year.

WAYNE Bennett is set to boast more influence over NRL betting markets in 2012 than Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston ... even Benji Marshall.

PHIL ROTHFIELD delivers his fearless predictions on what to expect in the 2012 NRL season.

REPLACING retired Mark Gasnier is new St George Illawarra coach Steve Price's first major task - and the choice has narrowed to two.

TIM Moltzen was readying himself to confront a hostile crowd of about 16,000 people in Wollongong. Well, you can now double that figure.

ST GEORGE Illawarra haven't given up hope of getting compensation in the wake of the ugly Tim Moltzen contract tug of war.

FOR a decade he has walked in the shadows, yesterday Steve Price stepped into the spotlight.