Gareth Widdop says the representative break has given St George Illawarra the chance to regroup and kick-start their spluttering NRL season.

The Dragons burst out of the blocks in 2014 to lead the premiership after three rounds, after winning all three games.

Since then they have hit the wall, winning one of their next five, a defeat of the troubled Warriors who they have beaten in round two and round seven.

After their second win over the Warriors, the Dragons were beaten comprehensively by premiers Sydney Roosters on Anzac Day.

Benji Marshall’s acquisition is a boost to the struggling Dragons and ahead of Sunday’s clash with premiership frontrunners Canterbury at ANZ Stadium, Widdop said the Dragons need to rediscover their form of the opening rounds.

“We did start the season very positively, but the last few weeks we have been inconsistent,” Widdop said.

“It was good just to get away for a few days over the rep weekend and have a bit of a break.

“It is good to come back refreshed and hopefully start performing a lot better than we were.

“Our discipline has been a problem over the last few weeks, just little errors, dropped balls in our own half has really cost us.

“That is something we really have to fix up.”

Marshall is set to slot straight into the Dragons’ halves alongside Widdop, a move which leaves the future of Sam Williams and Michael Witt very much up in the air.

Williams partners Widdop for the match against the Bulldogs against arguably the competition’s in-form pairing of Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson.

Canterbury have won their last five straight games.

“They are a great team,” Widdop said.

“I think with the forward pack they have got, going forward it makes it a lot easier for the halves to play off that. Those halves bring a lot of points to that team, it is going to be a big test for us.”