NRL: Dragons confirm Gasnier interest

Former St George star Mark Gasnier is off-contract with French rugby club Stade Francais. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - St George Illawarra have confirmed their interest in luring Mark Gasnier back to the NRL club.

Dragons CEO Peter Doust said he had met with Gasnier's manager George Mimis and NRL officials after it emerged the club's former captain was considering a return to league.

Gasnier is off-contract after spending two seasons playing with French rugby union club Stade Francais.

"We have always said that we would be interested in having Mark back at the Dragons if he was ever to return to the NRL," Doust said.

"We have had discussions with his manager George Mimis and the NRL about the details of his possible return given his contract in France was finishing.

"It is a very complicated negotiation, the details of which have to remain commercially in confidence."

Gasnier left the Dragons after just two years of a five-year deal with an agreement he would not play for any other NRL club before 2012.

If the Dragons can't accommodate Gasnier they may yet decide to release him from that agreement in exchange for compensation from another NRL club.

"Mark left our club on good terms and, as such, he agreed to a clause in his deed of release at that time about returning to the Dragons if he came back to the NRL and we have always kept in contact with him since he left," Doust said.

"In saying all this however, an athlete of Mark's status and experience commands significant salary expectations and we are aware that he is attracting interest from several NRL and rugby union clubs.

"Salary cap management and planning is very complex but we are certainly interested and would be disappointed to see him play elsewhere in the NRL given his history and association with our club and we will be doing our best within the regulations of the salary cap to see him return to the Dragons."

Gasnier had been strongly linked to new Super rugby franchise the Melbourne Rebels, but a News Ltd report on Tuesday said he was frustrated with the 15-man game.

"If that's Mark's opinion, that's his opinion," Rebels coach Rod Macqueen told AAP.

"The game of rugby union in Super rugby's quite different to the northern hemisphere.

"We've said we'd be interested in him, but the reality is his dealings are with the ARU (Australian Rugby Union), not with us."

The ARU would need to top up Gasnier's contract with the Rebels to make it financially attractive.

ARU recruitment boss David Nucifora did not return AAP's call on Tuesday.

- AAP