Andrew Johns is intrigued to find out how Dragons recruit Daniel Atkinson plays alongside rising star Lyhkan King-Togia after an ugly injury to Kyle Flanagan finally forced the coach into a halves change.
And fellow NRL legend Brad Fittler believes Dragons coach Shane Flanagan needs to make more changes to his side after a winless start to the season.
Flanagan's men currently sit last and play the Cowboys this weekend with plenty on the line.
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The coach's future has become a talking point despite him being contracted until 2028 after signing an extension last year.
Johns believes the premiership-winner is "safe" for now but there's no doubt he'll need wins to shut down speculation.
Flanagan has been coach of the Dragons since 2024 and signed the likes of Valentine Holmes, Damien Cook, Clint Gutherson and Daniel Atkinson while Keaon Koloamatangi will land next season.
Due to his role in changing the roster, Fittler believes that now puts the onus on Flanagan.
"This side has now got the coach's fingerprints on it so I think that's now where he'll start to feel the pressure because he's put this side together," he said on Wide World of Sports' Freddy & The Eighth.
"Right at the moment, what they're putting on the field from the point of view of attack or just looking dangerous, they're not looking dangerous at all. So they're going to need to change some personnel in the team."
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The Roosters legend also wants to see more from the likes of Cook, Gutherson and Atkinson.
"Between them, they haven't come up with much, they haven't looked dangerous and I think they need to get together and work out their attack and how they can put pressure on teams," he said.
Flanagan has been forced into some changes for this round with his son Kyle knocked out last week, which means King-Togia will play five-eighth.
Moses Suli and Toby Couchman are both back from injury while David Fale will make his club debut on the wing, with Tyrell Sloan dropping back to the bench.
Kyle has copped criticism for his form over the past two years and Johns is curious to see how the new halves combination will work.
"What you've been hearing for the last 18 months or so is around Kyle Flanagan (and his spot in the team)," he said.
"Kyle got knocked out the other night, we wish him well … so King-Togia goes in and this is what people from outside the club have been screaming for, so let's see how they go, and then judge.
"I've heard he's (King-Togia) got some deficiencies defensively but that's not their issues, their issue is scoring points, so I look forward to watching them go."
The Dragons face the Cowboys on Saturday afternoon.
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