St George Illawarra Dragons general manager Ben Haran has praised recruit Moses Mbye for the positive impact he has had since arriving at the club.
Mbye, who is entering his 10th season in the NRL, agreed to a two-year deal last year with the Dragons which will see him remain at the club until the end of the 2023 campaign.
Haran says that veteran recruits including George Burgess and Aaron Woods have slotted in nicely, but Mbye has led the way in developing the younger players.
“We brought in some experience into the roster to compliment a few of these young exciting players coming through,” Haran said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
“They’ve all played their part and I’d put Moses Mbye in that category as well.
“He’s had a good influence on Tyrell Sloane and Jayden Sullivan.
“And those players that are in the playmaker role like Junior Amone as well.
“In their own way, each of those guys have had a positive impact on the squad.”
Haran says Mbye’s acquisition has been beneficial for the inexperienced backline at the Dragons as the veteran is a genuine utility.
After an off-season that saw 14 players leave the club including senior members such as Corey Norman, Cameron McInnes, Paul Vaughan and Matt Dufty, Haran said the veteran signings such as Mbye has eased the transition period of the club.
“It’s the biggest turnover of players we’ve had from any one season to the next at my time at the club,” he said.
“Those younger players got the chance to cut their teeth at the back end of last year.
“That gave them a bit of confidence leading into this season.
“Then putting a few more of those experienced players around them has helped them go to another level.
“We need to see that from a few of them.”
The Dragons play the Warriors in Round 1 on March 12.