League: St George's investment lays down an early marker

Dragons centre Mark Gasnier stands to make close to $36,000 per NRL game under his new five-year contract, worth a reported $4.8 million.

With a shim, step and flick on Friday night, he showed that the Dragons may actually get some good value for their blue-chip investment.

A day after ending months of speculation about his playing future, Gasnier starred as St George Illawarra downed Newcastle 38-12 at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

He took just 16 minutes to celebrate the new deal with the game's opening try - one of the more bizarre four-pointers of the season - but showed just why he had attracted the attention of rugby union at the end of the first half with a sublime piece of footwork and ball skill.

There looked little on when Gasnier fielded a wobbly Andrew Johns drop-out 25m out near the touchline in slippery conditions.

Seconds later, Corey Payne was streaking down the touchline to score after Gasnier beat his centre counterpart George Carmont with some fine quick-stepping and then drew two more Newcastle defenders before slipping away a pinpoint flick pass in the tackle.

It was the highlight of an impressive Dragons performance and followed one of the more comical tries of 2006, finished off by Gasnier.

It featured three kicks, the second a cross-field shocker from prop Luke Baile which went a metre backwards, and ended with Gasnier touching down with the ball between his wrist and thigh after an in-goal error by Knights fullback Kurt Gidley.