Wendell Sailor has ditched the diamond stud earrings and also the rock-star lifestyle that went with them, writes Brad Walter.

Wendell Sailor is back bigger, faster and with a kicking game - but missing his trademark diamond earrings.

"That guy's gone," Sailor told the Herald yesterday as he prepared for his first training session with the Dragons since his drugs ban ended at midnight on Saturday. "I've grown up."

Sailor may not have played league since 2001, and any sport for two years since he tested positive to cocaine, but it took just a 15-minute press conference followed by an on-field fitness workout under the guidance of his former Kangaroos teammate Paul McGregor for the dual international to show he still has the same effervescent personality.

After St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust officially announced the club's signing of the former Wallabies winger for the remainder of this year and next season, Sailor began by telling the large media contingent assembled at Steelers Leagues Club in Wollongong: "Thanks for coming. It's been a while since I've seen a crowd this big."

And then the show began, leaving even Dragons coach Nathan Brown struggling to contain himself but looking more upbeat than he has since being told last month that this season would be his last in the job, as Sailor entertained, amused and confessed.

"I took for granted how fortunate we were as players," Sailor said. "Coming into the Broncos at 18, I thought it was just a God-given right to play finals and to play football. Certainly, there's boundaries that you shouldn't cross, and my behaviour wasn't acceptable.

"I was carrying on like a bit of a rock star, I suppose, and football wasn't my first priority. Binge drinking and drugs certainly were my demise, and I've worked on that. I'd like people to think that [in] two years, I've learnt my lesson. I've copped a hard time but deservedly so."

In the seven seasons since he became the Australian Rugby Union's first big-name league recruit, Sailor claims he has also learnt some new skills he can bring back to the game.

"Before I left rugby league, I didn't have any kicking skills, but I think my kicking's all right," he said, before noticing a smirking Brown shaking his head. "Well maybe not, I don't want to rap myself but I think I'm all right. The Shellharbour Marlins might need a kicker so I'll ask their coach."

Sailor's return game will be with the Marlins on Saturday night in their Jim Beam Cup game against Erina at Ron Costello Oval, and no one is sure how long he will remain there before he is ready to play in the NRL. But after initially toying with switching Sailor to the second row, it has been decided he will remain a winger - the position at which he has played 37 Tests for the Wallabies and 11 for the Kangaroos, as well as 17 State of Origin appearances for Queensland.

"Seven months ago, I would have said that I'd be playing in the front row," he admitted. "But I think I'm back to my rugby weight and hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can lose a few more kilos.

"I'd say I'm quicker than before because I've got to do a lot of track work and I haven't had many injuries - I'm lucky, I'm a winger. That's the beauty of being a winger. If anything, the two years out has freshened me up a little bit, and obviously those couple of years in rugby I certainly didn't get that many hits."

As his ban neared its end, Sailor became more excited and last weekend he admitted to having trouble sleeping, as he excitedly tried on the training gear the Dragons gave him.

"I'm a young 33-year-old but I feel like I'm 18 or 19," he said. "I couldn't wait to get the gear on."

It's that type of enthusiasm Brown hopes will become infectious among the Dragons, and there was an immediate buzz in the camp yesterday as he kicked a ball around and did some drills with the likes of Josh Morris, Rangi Chase and the other players who did not feature in Sunday's 19-18 loss to Parramatta.

"He's probably a bit like Anthony Mundine," Brown said. "Whenever they're around the joint is up. I don't know why they do that but they do.

"Wendell is a competitive person, he's a winner and, as he's kindly reminded me, he's played nine years of league and been in nine finals series and won four competitions."