Many good judges think St George Illawarra Dragons recruit Paul Vaughan is in the form of his life but the big prop, who leads The81stMinute Steele Sports Medal outright after four rounds, says he still has plenty of room for improvement.

Those same judges believe Vaughan is a smoky for State of Origin selection but the man himself doesn’t think so just yet.

“I think I am a little bit far away from that yet,” Vaughan said.

“I had a couple of good seasons with the Raiders but my progress got halted there last season so I came to Saints needing to make a fresh start and I just want to keep playing good footy.

“I don’t think I have played my best footy yet and that is one of the first things I told Mary [Paul McGregor] when I signed to the club. I said to him that I have got a lot of potential I haven’t tapped into yet.”

Vaughan languished in Intrust Super Premiership last season at Canberra’s feeder club Mounties but has been vital to the Dragons resurgence in 2017.