Weight of Dragons No.7 jersey no concern for Atkinson

The 25-year-old was limited to an average of just 26 minutes a game last season at the Sharks, coming on as a bench utility or watching on as 18th man.

And while he spent large parts of 2024 starting at five-eighth for Cronulla, Atkinson last wore the No.7 in any competitive game for the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Cup in 2022.

"Nothing changes for me with the No.6 or the No.7," Atkinson said. 

"I still run the ball, tackle, kick. I think you can complicate it too much in your head.

"I've just got to play to my strengths, I'll make it real simple going into the game and play to each of those things. I feel like it will go well."

Atkinson's arrival has come amid a shake up of the Dragons' attack, with Michael Ennis also joining the club and taking over that department.

Both Atkinson and Flanagan will be given freedom to play on both sides of the field, with the former also told to make use of his running game.

It is in that vein that Atkinson does not expect to take on sole organising duties, with Flanagan to also run the game in different stages at five-eighth.

"I can definitely be a chief organiser, but when Kyle is hot I've just got to let him run the show," Atkinson said. 

"He knows I'll back him up whenever he is hot.

"You've got to realise that I am going to have good moments and he's going to have gun moments. I've got to be his 2IC and help him organise what he needs.

"I think that is the good thing about me and Kyle. We share the responsibility and complement each other really well."

Crucial in that too has been the involvement of Ennis, who himself only joined the Dragons from Manly at the end of last season.

"I idolised him (as a kid)," Atkinson said.

"He knows the game in a really good light. 

"He knows what to expect, he's been there and done that. I am picking his brain a lot to be honest. 

"There probably isn't a training session where I haven't asked what he would do or what I need to do to improve on."