IMO the boards choice and the dark horse here is Fitzgibbon, a junior, living locally still but plying his trade at the Roosters...could be available in 2021 based on an early release from his contract...If Mcgregor goes early which is really on the cards now w looming board meeting then Shepherd or Head may take over till the end of year..
Fitzgibbon would be a great head coach for us. He has had many years at the Roosters as a player and as an assistant coach under Trent Robinson for a very long time so he would have learnt a lot and helped with the Roosters winning the past 2 grand finals.
His experience is what is needed at the Dragons. The question is though, why would he want to come to this club, even though he might be still living in the area, when years ago he was told that he was not wanted and joined the Roosters to play and he has never really looked back?
He might see it as a great challenge to coach the Dragons nonetheless.
Shaun Wane would also be interesting. He does not appear to be a guy who would take rubbish and likes a challenge. He has good Super League credentials, but coming into the NRL might be harder than what it appears.
Anyway, this thread is about whether we go with Flanagan or Bennett. Flanagan will have a point to prove but I cannot see him being able to get off his 2 year ban and so to do this we would have to wait until 2022 and put an interim coach in for either the rest of this year, if McGregor was sacked this year, or in 2021 which is the year that McGregor will miss out on. Of course Flanagan would be signed well and truly before the end of 2021so that he can sort out his squad for 2022.
With Bennett, well I think that he has reached the end of his prime and whilst he has that quality of being able to nurture the younger guys and possibly being able to bring in some outside guys to strengthen our squad, he isn't what he was like as in the years gone by.
So between Flanagan and Bennett, I'd say Flanagan.