St George Illawarra expect their former hardman Jeremy Smith to fire up when his new club Cronulla face the premiers on Monday night.

But that doesn't mean the Dragons are missing him.

Smith and his ex-forward partner Neville Costigan are the pieces of the Dragons' 2010 premiership-winning puzzle that have moved on this season.

It was expected to leave a sizeable hole in Wayne Bennett's suffocating pack, but the World Club Champions' current forwards are confident they are filling the void.

"I just know everyone who goes out there and puts the jersey on their back will do their role no matter who's wearing them," backrower Beau Scott told reporters on Wednesday.

Bench prop Jon Green agrees.

"Matty Prior's stepped into Jeremy's spot and then Dan Hunt's come back (from a ruptured Achilles) for Neville," Green said.

"Those guys have played a lot of game time for the club.

"The guys coming off the bench have to do their job and keep the ball rolling."

But the Dragons know Smith, who also won a grand final with Melbourne before the Storm's premierships were stripped, won't hold back at Toyota Stadium.

"You leave the club and you look forward to playing against the club you played with for the last couple of years," Scott said.

Which isn't to say Smith isn't a nice bloke, even with the shaved head and tattoos.

"The last text he sent was good luck for the World Club Challenge, so it was a good one," Green said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP