How Cameron McInnes and Paul Vaughan found a home at the new and improved Dragons

HE’S battered, bruised and missing a couple of teeth, but the face of Cameron McInnes symbolises the new era at St George Illawarra.

CAMERON McInnes doesn’t know if the scar under his right eye will disappear.

Says he never thought to ask the doctor about it.

Just as he cannot tell you the number of stitches knitted into his forehead. Or how that front right tooth, now held in place with a plate, was knocked out two years ago.

“I was playing first grade for Souths,’’ McInnes recalls. “In a final against Cronulla.

“I can only remember feeling sore. So I’ve pulled my mouthguard out and the tooth, it came with it.”

And then?

“Then I sorta just jammed it back in there,’’ he shrugs. “But after the game, I took the mouthguard out again and the tooth was hanging by a thread so ...”

And then on cue, McInnes uses his tongue to pop said plate down and out of his mouth — revealing the type of grin rarely seen outside Queensland.

Which is when it hits you: This is the new face of St George Illawarra.

Here within the scars, grazes and gappy smile.

Cam McIness and Paul Vaughan are the changing face and attitude of the Dragons. Picture. Phil Hillyard

All of it explaining how the Dragons are not only now playing in 2017, but winning.

Indeed, ask centre Euan Aitken what he sees in this same face and he speaks of a fella who has made 215 tackles this year, while missing two.

Prop Paul Vaughan, meanwhile, wonders aloud if he has ever played with anyone tougher. While winger Jason Nightingale, he needs only one word: Bravery.

And as for tattooed enforcer Joel Thompson?

“Competitiveness,’’ he says. “I mean, have a look at that head, it’s ridiculous.

“Cam’s got bumps, scars, he’s missing teeth ... it’s all part of a competitive, aggressive mindset and I love it.

“Because we don’t want individuals at this club. We want guys prepared to do the selfless things.

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“Guys who lead the kick chase, put their bodies on the line, play tough.”

That, and bleed.

Which McInnes does. Often.

A signature for this unwanted Rabbitoh who — famously told he wasn’t worth his contract by Hollywood owner Russell Crowe — has already been stitched three times this season, including two lots of eight into that right cheekbone.

“But I’ve been getting split for years,’’ McInnes shrugs, chatting now with League Central in the WIN Stadium grandstand. “Dunno why.

“Maybe I just keeping putting my head in the wrong places.”

Or the right places, depending on who you ask.

For every other Dragon we’ve spoken to this particular Tuesday morning has recounted how, during pre-season, McInnes was flying up and out of the defensive line to jam rivals. Many of whom outweighed him by 20 kilos.

Former Rabbitoh McInnes is among the buys of the season. Pic Mark Evans

Better, it hasn’t stopped.

Which makes him the new face of this Red V revival.

The poster boy for a side who, despite being favoured to lose its coach first, cross the tryline least and challenge only for the wooden spoon, is suddenly second on the NRL ladder.

With coach Paul McGregor still in place. And an attacking average of 26 points, or almost double last year.

All while that battered head bleeds.

“Growing up,” McInnes continues, “my old man always told me ‘defence is attitude’.

“Before I went out to play that’s all he ever said.”

So that’s all he ever did.

Only in later years adding size, speed and a skill set that now sees him leading all NRL hookers for try assists.

But still, grit remains the cornerstone of his game.

Vaughan and McInnes have been two of the Dragons’ best this season. Pic: Phil Hillyard

And while McInnes defends, fellow recruit Vaughan runs. For a career high 146m per week.

“So now everyone in rugby league is talking about him,’’ Thompson says. “But his secret, it’s run hard, tackle hard. And do it every week.”

Incredible isn’t?

For as much as McInnes was tattooed to South Sydney — the local junior tipped a future captain as recently as last year — so Vaughan believed his life belonged to that hometown club he joined at 16, the Canberra Raiders.

But then, McInnes was punted for Robbie Farah. And Vaughan, well, last August he was dropped to NSW Cup.

An embarrassing fall he has little interest in recalling now.

“That’s last year,’’ he says. “It’s done.”

Indeed, the longer you talk with this Harley-Davidson owner, the more you reckon he might just be the new voice of St George Illawarra.

For there is little he wants to say.

Not publicly, anyway.

Aware that more than winning four of their opening five games, what really counts now is their upcoming run against Manly, North Queensland, the Roosters and Melbourne.

“But I also believe,’’ Vaughan says, “this group can do special things’’.

And as from where that belief comes?

“Hard work,’’ he adds without pause. “Our confidence comes from hard work.”

McInnes agrees.

Although this 23-year-old throwback quickly adds he has little idea of the hype surrounding himself, Vaughan or even his club given he doesn’t use social media or read newspapers. His TV, too, boasting no channels outside Netflix.

Instead, he spends time between training sessions churning through books.

For this is who McInnes is.

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Why, too, he not only placed within the State’s top six per cent for his HSC results, but now refuses to study a university degree part-time.

“Because I have to be fully invested,’’ he says. “The idea of studying part-time, it’s no good. I have to be all in.”

And for proof, look at his face.

At the long cheekbone scar which may or may not disappear. Then that forehead marked up like some country road map.

And as for McInnes ever saving his front right tooth from the fate already befallen his left?

“Ah, no,” he cackles, “it’s already dead too.

“Although I’m not sure exactly what happened there, either ...”