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Dragons hooker Heath L'Estrange is happy with his role off the bench.

Dragons interchange hooker Heath L'Estrange has heaped praise on the side's number one dummy half Mitch Rein, who he said should return to the Country Origin side in 2015.

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L'Estrange has racked up almost 200 top-flight appearances for the Roosters, Sea Eagles – with whom he won a premiership in 2008 as a bench player – Bradford in the UK, then the Roosters again and is now four games into his Dragons career.

But after missing out in Round 1, L'Estrange said he is starting to find his role and is happy to do what is required off the bench.

"I'm happy where I am – Reiny's a great player, a Country Rugby League [representative] player, he'll be pushing for it again this year," L'Estrange said.

"His last two games have probably been his best two of the year, his running game's awesome, defence is awesome, I'm happy where I am at the moment mate."

It was Rein's impressive solo try against the Raiders that proved one of the pivotal moments in kick-starting the side's season after back-to-back opening losses, and L'Estrange described the Kiama junior as the club's "number one".

"Hopefully 'Mary' [coach Paul McGregor] keeps on picking me and I can find my place and keep doing what I do usually when I come off the bench which is just find my role and do my job and that's all I needed to do," he said.

"I'm starting to find [my role]. My last two weeks haven't been my best two games, I think my first two I felt a lot more comfortable – these last two just trying to find my rhythm in the game whereas the first two weeks I found my rhythm pretty easy and just got straight into it. 

The coaching staff expect him to provide "a bit of impact, a bit of spark, don't make mistakes, don't drop the ball, make the right decisions".

"As long as I know what I'm doing and [McGregor's] happy with it, it doesn't matter what other people think. My wife came home and told me what I did wrong the other night but it doesn't bother me as long as Mary's happy with it!" he laughed.

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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