Kurt Mann has his sights set on making the St George Illawarra No.1 jersey his own next year as the club gets set for life after Josh Dugan.
Mann on Thursday inked a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Dragons until the end of the 2019 NRL season.
With Dragons recruitment boss Ian Millward confirming the club wouldn't chase a specialist fullback to replace Cronulla-bound Dugan, an opportunity exists for someone to lock down the coveted position.
Highly-rated teenager Jai Field is one option and coach Paul McGregor has big wraps on 24-year-old Mann.
Asked if he saw he his future in the No.1 jersey, Mann said: "Definitely.
"I think there's going to be opportunities everywhere because I play a few different positions.
"That was in the back of my mind."
Mann started last season at fullback, while McGregor experimented with moving Dugan to centre, however, was dumped to reserve grade after just two performances.
This year Mann has been Mr Fix It for McGregor, playing centre, five-eighth, off the bench and he will wear the No.7 against Gold Coast on Friday night.
With centre Euan Aitken returning from a hamstring injury, McGregor moved Mann to halfback and relegated Josh McCrone to the bench.
McGregor said Mann had been performing too well to leave him out of the 13 and he had a big opportunity in front of him for the rest of 2017.
With Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt arriving next year to partner Gareth Widdop in the halves, there are no vacancies to fill at six or seven.
However, McGregor said Mann had a chance to demand the No.1 jumper.
"We had this conversation with Kurt a couple of weeks ago about where he feels he's most valuable for our team," McGregor said.
"It's a 17-man game, it's not a 13-man game anymore.
"He's only missed one game this year, he's been a big part of what we're about and that won't change next year.
"That won't change with Hunt coming here next year. (Hunt) is our No.7 and Gareth will be our No.6.
"We haven't got a fullback at the moment, we've got a couple of young kids there.
"Kurt might want to revisit that; he can play centre.
"The way he's playing, he'll be part of that 17."
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