St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust has dismissed talk that the NRL club is on borrowed time to win a premiership with a stable of stars coming off contract next year.

And Doust believes it is "very realistic" that the Dragons could re-sign their 11 off-contract players.

New bookies' favourites for the NRL title, the Dragons are riding high after cruising to third on the ladder with four straight wins.

But the Dragons are wary of a changing of the guard next season.

Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Mathew Head, Ben Creagh, Dean Young, Shaun Timmins, Michael Ennis, Justin Poore, Michael Henderson, Ashton Sims and Lance Thompson all come off contract at the end of 2006.

And Test prop Luke Bailey leaves for the Gold Coast in 2007 while fullback Clint Greenshields - off contract at the end of 2005 - has also been linked with a move to Queensland.

Dragons skipper Trent Barrett said last Friday that "time was running out" to win a title and 2005 was their "best chance of winning a competition" with so many players soon to be off-contract.

However, when asked how realistic it was to re-sign the bulk of off-contract players, Doust said: "It's very realistic - we never let players go we want to keep.

"That's next year. Do I have to worry about that right now?

"I am worrying about this year, and I am worrying about what we have contracted for 2006 - I'm not worried about 2007."

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