TIGHTHEAD Lloyd Fairbrother intends to show boss Bernard Jackman that he can handle the truth by grafting hard on the training paddock to be part of the Dragons future.

The 25-year-old Cornishman is in his fourth campaign at Rodney Parade but after previously playing second fiddle to Brok Harris, is now backing up bright prospect Leon Brown.

The Welsh-qualified prop is playing under his third boss after being brought to the Dragons from Exeter by Lyn Jones, then playing under Kingsley Jones for a year before Jackman took over the reins this summer.

The Irishman pledged to give everyone a clean slate but has seemingly settled on a first-choice XV ahead what will be a big squad turnover in the summer.

Fairbrother, who signed a new contract at the end of last season, is determined to show Jackman and his management team that he can take his game to another level.

“It’s a very different environment to years gone by,” he said. “We are honest with each other and if something isn’t right rather than burying our heads in the sand it is dealt with.

“The coaches have been honest with me in terms of where I am with my game and I have just had to try to improve.

“There is a lot of accountability and being honest with each other. Bernard was true to his word [about giving chances], I was starting prop in pre-season and now I am second choice.

“He has been very honest in where he thinks I am and where he thinks Leon is at the minute. It’s up to me now, I’m working on the things I need to improve on and I am getting there, I think.

“For me it’s about repeatability, doing 10 scrums on the bounce at the same level and having a good outcome or 10 positive tackles.

“A tighthead is constantly under attack – is he good at scrummaging? Is he good at tackling? Is he mobile enough? It’s ticking all the boxes week in, week out.”

Fairbrother hopes that the management team’s brand of tough love will reap rewards.

“It’s a really honest environment and if you are not doing your role right or if you are not fit enough or strong enough, they are coming to tell you,” he said.

“In years gone by we have swept things under the carpet but now we’ve got a little room called the ‘truth room’ and you go in and they say it how it is.

“It’s how you respond to that. It’s good to be harsh on each other, at times it’s hard to take criticism from your own players and mates but that’s the best environment to have.”

Fairbrother has played in all seven games this season but was one of the replacements in the firing line when Jackman lamented his lack of bench impact after defeat in Edinburgh last month.

“I think it was a bit of mind games to get a reaction but it did hurt a little bit,” he admitted.

“But it’s how you react to it, it’s either ‘screw him, you don’t know what you’re talking about’ or ‘actually, let’s get on with it, improve, do fitness, do extra reps’. I think as a group we are doing that now and it’s a big shift from two seasons ago.”

Fairbrother started in Newcastle in the European Challenge Cup last weekend and is set to feature on a return to Russia on Saturday to face Enisei-STM (kick-off 1pm).

Last season he wore the 3 jersey in the humiliating 38-18 defeat in Krasnodar but the prop is pledging the Dragons won’t be caught cold in Russia.

“It’s a challenge, they are big men with quite a simple game plan so we’ve definitely got to roll our sleeves up and get into them,” he said.

“They were desperate for everything last year, we had them in the scrum but were second best with the pick and gos and in the contact areas.

“We are the professional outfit, we train with top facilities so should have done a job on them. We definitely owe them one.

“As a squad and as a pack we are in such a better place this time, so we are looking for a bonus point win out there.”