He may be the “jokester” at the Dragons but Benji Marshall is deadly serious when he says St George Illawarra are in for a big one next NRL season.

And he’s not referring to George Rose.

The ex-Kiwi international is relishing his first pre-season with the Dragons and also likes what he sees from teammates – even Rose.

“Big George hasn’t done a lot with us yet but his attitude to training has been better than I thought it would have been given he is a bit of a bigger dude,” Marshall said of the cult hero prop.

“We’ve got some size around the place, we’ve got some fresh faces – with what we have lost we have gained with the guys coming in.

“If we can achieve what we did at the back end of last year and get better at that we will be in for a big year.”

Marshall has not stopped buzzing – or it seems, telling gags – since the Dragons were the first team to start pre-season training at October 27.

He is excited by the prospect of improving combinations with a full pre-season under his belt after finishing 2014 strongly following an ill-fated code switch.

And it seems it is infectious, judging by the unexpected interaction with younger teammates.

“I joke around with the boys so I thought me being the jokester would put them off coming up to me and asking me stuff,” Marshall told Dragons TV.

“But a lot come and ask advice on how to recover, stuff to do at training – it’s exciting.

“Coming in halfway through the year you don’t get to work on combinations or get to know everyone.

“The longer the season went on the better I got with those combinations, and with Mary (coach Paul McGregor) taking over it has given us a new focus (in the pre-season).”

Rose sounded just as excited, cheekily describing himself as one of the Dragons’ off season “big recruits”.

Considered a bit skinny up front this year, the Dragons threw a lifeline to the 116kg Rose, who won a premiership with Manly in 2011.

No prizes for guessing what Rose thought he could offer his new club.

“I hope I bring size. They have been looking for size here,” he smiled.

“But I am excited by what lies ahead.

“There’s a good vibe. If we can turn that into results anything could lie ahead for this team.”

Asked about the secret to his 10-year-and-counting career, Rose said: “It can’t be enjoying a pre-season, because I never have.

“It is a tough time of the year. I am not sure how much longer I will go after next year, but the footy keeps you going.”