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Sack mcgregor

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
Dragons veteran James Graham concedes McGregor-Flanagan coaching relationship 'may get tested' this season

Written By Ed Chisholm
@ChisholmEd
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James Graham admits the Dragons' new coaching combination of Paul McGregor and Shane Flanagan will be tested throughout the 2020 season.


The arrival of Flanagan in the off-season as an assistant coach was the biggest pieces of business from Red V over the off-season, as the club aim to bury last year's 15th-place finish.


The former premiership-winning mentor with Cronulla, who prior to his appointment as McGregor's assistant coach was deregistered by the NRL, has highlighted his desire to one day return to the head coach's role.

However, the NRL will not allow Flanagan to take up a head coaching role until 2022, after breaking the terms of a prior ban in 2014 amidst the Sharks' salary cap scandal.

MORE: Bulldogs duo stood down ahead of round one for breach of conduct

But with McGregor's position under severe pressure heading into the new season, the nature of the relationship between he and Flanagan has been questioned.

Whilst Graham said the dynamic between the pair has offered a breath of fresh air throughout pre-season, he conceded it will undoubtedly be challenged at times this year.

"That balancing act has worked pretty well I would say so far," Graham told Fox League's NRL 360 on Tuesday.

"At different times throughout the season it may get tested but I think if you went to any NRL team, most assistants would want to be in that head coach's job.

"We're no different. We've got [assistant coach] Dean Young, I imagine he's got ambitions to coach at the top level as well."

James Graham on Flanagan's influence at the Dragons :speaking_head:

WATCH :tv: #NRL360 LIVE on Fox League 502 pic.twitter.com/bydYJVf5Fv

— FOX LEAGUE (@FOXNRL) March 10, 2020


With the Dragons leaking the second-most points last year - just 76 more points than the last-placed Titans - Flanagan has been tasked with transforming the side's defence.

Graham said the influence of Flanagan and his knowledge of what it takes to be a premiership team has been highly motivating.

"He's a winner. He's been to a place as a coach that we want to go to as a group," the former Bulldog said.

"The way he delivers his messages, the things he talks about. He talks about those types of attributes of champion teams [and] instilling that in how we look. He's very technical.

"As well as Shane coming in we got James Shepard as well. His delivery and his messages have been first class.

"They've bought in a few new ideas, [but] we're not reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination but I've been really impressed with what those two have bought to the club."

The Dragons' 2019 season was clouded with off-field distractions, none bigger than the Jack de Belin saga that emerged on the eve of the season.

While there have been minor adjustments to the side's game style with the new coaching set up, Graham said the players moved quickly to move on from last year's disappointing campaign.

"We've got no new distractions [this year], that's been put to bed," he said.


"We buried last year, I think we've moved on and everyone's optimistic. It's going to be a roller coast [year] no doubt.

"We're not reinventing the wheel, a few tweaks here and there, and I'm confident that'll bring the best out of the 17 and the whole squad throughout this season."


https://www.nospam47.com/au/league/...tested-this-season/17u2761f2qhlw1je9yfd5sy3wd
I watched the interview, Graham did not sound confident about 2020. Benji on the other hand spoke well and talked about the excitement in Tigers camp with some good recruiting in the offseason.
Graham lost me when he said we have 3 top level NRL centres fighting it out for 2 positions.
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,247
I watched the interview, Graham did not sound confident about 2020. Benji on the other hand spoke well and talked about the excitement in Tigers camp with some good recruiting in the offseason.
Graham lost me when he said we have 3 top level NRL centres fighting it out for 2 positions.
Crush how can he be confident, when the reality is we have the worst coach in the NRL & the worst Back 5 plus 2 overpaid/underwhelming halves. Sure our forward pack is good but they can’t carry the rest on their backs without the standard burnout factor.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
I share your frustration.
I have heard many posters say that he is stubborn and pig headed but, in my opinion, he is just not very good.
No aptitude or rugby league IQ.
He has never been up to standard and yet, here we are 6 years down the track and we still hear all the rationalization as to why we aren't competitive.
When they finally get rid of him, heads should roll for this decision.

They should indeed Dennis , the self serving mongrels who made that decision should be made accountable for ensuring that the Dragons would be nothing more than the ‘ also-rans ‘ of the competition .

With the exception of 2018 when it appeared that the players tossed the coach’s manual out of the window , the other 5 seasons amounted to a complete waste of time and hope for some sense of pride for the players and fans themselves.
 
Messages
2,866
Gra
Crush how can he be confident, when the reality is we have the worst coach in the NRL & the worst Back 5 plus 2 overpaid/underwhelming halves. Sure our forward pack is good but they can’t carry the rest on their backs without the standard burnout factor.
Graham has suddenly become the club's media spokesman whose job it seems is to talk up our season and rationalize why we are plumbing the depths.
Graham himself is on his last legs, makes hardly no impact when he's on the field and is knocked senseless every other game.
Time for him to retire and let some of the youngsters like Blacker get some FG experience.
When you consider that we lost Timm without him even getting a run in FG, it is just another example of our pathetic philosophy.
The media keep these jokers in a job and I am waiting for these hyenas to start asking the hard questions that have remained unanswered for so long at St. George.
 

Banjo2014

Juniors
Messages
484
Jesus, did you hear Johns podcast tonight. Kent & Johns sticking up for a mate. Made excuse after excuse, i felt like smashing the TV.They didn't see the correlation between shit coach and the fact he needed helpers and has been given. This is sooo frustrating.
I did see the podcast it seemed like an endorsement of P Mac for sure - so what if he is a good bloke - Kentie (whom I like) had a shocker - Sack the Waterboy
 

Banjo2014

Juniors
Messages
484
Gra

Graham has suddenly become the club's media spokesman whose job it seems is to talk up our season and rationalize why we are plumbing the depths.
Graham himself is on his last legs, makes hardly no impact when he's on the field and is knocked senseless every other game.
Time for him to retire and let some of the youngsters like Blacker get some FG experience.
When you consider that we lost Timm without him even getting a run in FG, it is just another example of our pathetic philosophy.
The media keep these jokers in a job and I am waiting for these hyenas to start asking the hard questions that have remained unanswered for so long at St. George.
Graham should concentrate on football and delay his tv antics - he is not a good tv man anyway - he should come out and say two words - Sack P Mac
 

WoyD4LWoy

Juniors
Messages
245
Article from Daily Telegraph.
Wayne Bennett St George Illawarra Dragons coaching return on cards
With an end date on his days at South Sydney, Wayne Bennett is on the lookout for another job. And a sensational return to St George Illawarra looms.


Wayne Bennett is in line for a stunning return to coach St George Illawarra, according to The Daily Telegraph’s Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield.
Bennett, the South Sydney Rabbitohs coach, is on the lookout for a new job given the Rabbitohs have a succession plan to replace the 70-year-old with his assistant Jason Demetriou from 2022.
Despite Bennett having two years remaining on his Redfern deal, Rothfield, speaking on The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast, fears the situation will prove a distraction for Souths and be the catalyst for the supercoach making an early departure from the club.

Current Dragons coach Paul McGregor last year signed an extension to stay at the club until the end of 2021, but he is under pressure to retain his job following what became a disastrous 2019 season.
“What I’m predicting here is that Wayne Bennett will be the next coach of St George Illawarra,” Rothfield said.
“I think it will happen in the next 12 months and I think it’s going to be potentially the biggest story of the year.”

The Rabbitohs find themselves in an off-field transitional period over the next few years with general manager of football Shane Richardson also revealing he would quit the club at the same time as Bennett.
“Wayne Bennett doesn’t want to be a football manager like Gus Gould was at Penrith,” Rothfield said.

I would have thought there would have been a lovely slot for him to be Shane Richardson, Richo goes and they (Bennett and Demetriou) work together there.
(But) he insists he wants to coach again.”

McGregor survived an internal review in the off-season, but Rothfield does not believe that will guarantee his long-term safety and that both the Dragons and Bennett would have a mutual interest in rekindling their relationship.
”Everyone knows that if St George struggle this year — and it’s looking like they will with their roster and doubts around (suspended forward Jack) De Belin — that ‘Mary’ McGregor is gone,” he said.
”He was a cigarette paper off being axed last year.
Ask should McGregor have been sacked last year, Rothfield said, “Yes, he should have been.
They had the review you have when you don’t have a review. They brought in Mary’s mate Phil Gould to do the review. You know what he found? ‘Mary should stay’. What a shock.”

Dragons assistant Shane Flanagan is keen on a top-level coaching return but, under the terms of his return following a suspension over Cronulla’s salary cap scandal, the NRL has only let Flanagan take on an assistant role for the next two years. That would rule him out of succeeding McGregor if things go sour at the Dragons this season.
“I know for a fact that Wayne Bennett would be open to going back to St George,” Rothfield said.
“He loved this stint there — he won a premiership there and I honestly think it’s a big chance of happening.”
The Rabbitohs have been tipped as title challengers in 2020, but Rothfield and colleague Dean Ritchie believe the Bennett-Demetriou situation could derail their premiership ambitions.
“This is the problem Souths have when you try to set out your future long term,” Ritchie said. “I get that every club needs and wants stability, but when you say to a coach you’ve got two years and you’re out, those two years can be very disruptive on a variety of levels.”

Rothfield said adding to the speculation was Bennett’s track record of failing to see out contracts.
“It started back in 1987 at Canberra when he left the Raiders mid-contract to become the first coach of the Brisbane Broncos,” he said.
“He also found the going too tough at the Newcastle Knights and walked out early on his contract there to go take a job at the Broncos.
“He also left this Broncos contract early, albeit he was axed, because they thought he was pre-coaching at Souths before he got down there and they wanted to do the swap with Seibold.
“There’s a few contracts over the years he hasn’t seen out.”
Bennett’s position at the Rabbitohs, while also having one eye on the future, could also impact the Rabbitohs’ playing ranks.

Cameron Murray is off contract at the end of next year. Would Wayne Bennett be keen to extend him or would be Wayne Bennett be keen to have a quiet chat to him and say ‘look, I’m off to St George, would you think about coming over and captaining that club?” Rothfield said.
“Other players that need to be extended at Souths that Jason Demetriou might want to keep but Wayne Bennett doesn’t think they’re worthy of that.”
According to Rothfield, McGregor isn’t the only coach who should be looking over their shoulder at Bennett.
“If Dean Pay doesn’t improve the Bulldogs this year I think Wayne Bennett would be an obvious target for them,” Rothfield said.

We know George Khoury and their leagues club prints money and they’d have the cash available to attract him.
“There’s a $4 million war chest there at the beginning of next year to rebuild.
“I just think it’s a really big developing story that could be unsettling for the Rabbitohs particularly if they go through a rough streak this year.”
While the Bennett-Demetriou succession isn’t due to be happen until the end of next year, Rothfield says the transition is already happening.
“You ask any player there, he’s not the hands-on coach,” Rothfield said of Bennett.
“Demetriou is the hands-on coach there.”
 

Mark D

Juniors
Messages
623
Article from Daily Telegraph.
Wayne Bennett St George Illawarra Dragons coaching return on cards
With an end date on his days at South Sydney, Wayne Bennett is on the lookout for another job. And a sensational return to St George Illawarra looms.


Wayne Bennett is in line for a stunning return to coach St George Illawarra, according to The Daily Telegraph’s Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield.
Bennett, the South Sydney Rabbitohs coach, is on the lookout for a new job given the Rabbitohs have a succession plan to replace the 70-year-old with his assistant Jason Demetriou from 2022.
Despite Bennett having two years remaining on his Redfern deal, Rothfield, speaking on The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast, fears the situation will prove a distraction for Souths and be the catalyst for the supercoach making an early departure from the club.

Current Dragons coach Paul McGregor last year signed an extension to stay at the club until the end of 2021, but he is under pressure to retain his job following what became a disastrous 2019 season.
“What I’m predicting here is that Wayne Bennett will be the next coach of St George Illawarra,” Rothfield said.
“I think it will happen in the next 12 months and I think it’s going to be potentially the biggest story of the year.”

The Rabbitohs find themselves in an off-field transitional period over the next few years with general manager of football Shane Richardson also revealing he would quit the club at the same time as Bennett.
“Wayne Bennett doesn’t want to be a football manager like Gus Gould was at Penrith,” Rothfield said.

I would have thought there would have been a lovely slot for him to be Shane Richardson, Richo goes and they (Bennett and Demetriou) work together there.
(But) he insists he wants to coach again.”

McGregor survived an internal review in the off-season, but Rothfield does not believe that will guarantee his long-term safety and that both the Dragons and Bennett would have a mutual interest in rekindling their relationship.
”Everyone knows that if St George struggle this year — and it’s looking like they will with their roster and doubts around (suspended forward Jack) De Belin — that ‘Mary’ McGregor is gone,” he said.
”He was a cigarette paper off being axed last year.
Ask should McGregor have been sacked last year, Rothfield said, “Yes, he should have been.
They had the review you have when you don’t have a review. They brought in Mary’s mate Phil Gould to do the review. You know what he found? ‘Mary should stay’. What a shock.”

Dragons assistant Shane Flanagan is keen on a top-level coaching return but, under the terms of his return following a suspension over Cronulla’s salary cap scandal, the NRL has only let Flanagan take on an assistant role for the next two years. That would rule him out of succeeding McGregor if things go sour at the Dragons this season.
“I know for a fact that Wayne Bennett would be open to going back to St George,” Rothfield said.
“He loved this stint there — he won a premiership there and I honestly think it’s a big chance of happening.”
The Rabbitohs have been tipped as title challengers in 2020, but Rothfield and colleague Dean Ritchie believe the Bennett-Demetriou situation could derail their premiership ambitions.
“This is the problem Souths have when you try to set out your future long term,” Ritchie said. “I get that every club needs and wants stability, but when you say to a coach you’ve got two years and you’re out, those two years can be very disruptive on a variety of levels.”

Rothfield said adding to the speculation was Bennett’s track record of failing to see out contracts.
“It started back in 1987 at Canberra when he left the Raiders mid-contract to become the first coach of the Brisbane Broncos,” he said.
“He also found the going too tough at the Newcastle Knights and walked out early on his contract there to go take a job at the Broncos.
“He also left this Broncos contract early, albeit he was axed, because they thought he was pre-coaching at Souths before he got down there and they wanted to do the swap with Seibold.
“There’s a few contracts over the years he hasn’t seen out.”
Bennett’s position at the Rabbitohs, while also having one eye on the future, could also impact the Rabbitohs’ playing ranks.

Cameron Murray is off contract at the end of next year. Would Wayne Bennett be keen to extend him or would be Wayne Bennett be keen to have a quiet chat to him and say ‘look, I’m off to St George, would you think about coming over and captaining that club?” Rothfield said.
“Other players that need to be extended at Souths that Jason Demetriou might want to keep but Wayne Bennett doesn’t think they’re worthy of that.”
According to Rothfield, McGregor isn’t the only coach who should be looking over their shoulder at Bennett.
“If Dean Pay doesn’t improve the Bulldogs this year I think Wayne Bennett would be an obvious target for them,” Rothfield said.

We know George Khoury and their leagues club prints money and they’d have the cash available to attract him.
“There’s a $4 million war chest there at the beginning of next year to rebuild.
“I just think it’s a really big developing story that could be unsettling for the Rabbitohs particularly if they go through a rough streak this year.”
While the Bennett-Demetriou succession isn’t due to be happen until the end of next year, Rothfield says the transition is already happening.
“You ask any player there, he’s not the hands-on coach,” Rothfield said of Bennett.
“Demetriou is the hands-on coach there.”
Watched NRL 360 last night and actually wondered if this was a possibility after they discussed Bennett... would be great for 2021 and then Flanno take over 2022... I’d say if McGregor is fired this year it may be on the cards earlier perhaps
 
Messages
2,866
Article from Daily Telegraph.
Wayne Bennett St George Illawarra Dragons coaching return on cards
With an end date on his days at South Sydney, Wayne Bennett is on the lookout for another job. And a sensational return to St George Illawarra looms.


Wayne Bennett is in line for a stunning return to coach St George Illawarra, according to The Daily Telegraph’s Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield.
Bennett, the South Sydney Rabbitohs coach, is on the lookout for a new job given the Rabbitohs have a succession plan to replace the 70-year-old with his assistant Jason Demetriou from 2022.
Despite Bennett having two years remaining on his Redfern deal, Rothfield, speaking on The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast, fears the situation will prove a distraction for Souths and be the catalyst for the supercoach making an early departure from the club.

Current Dragons coach Paul McGregor last year signed an extension to stay at the club until the end of 2021, but he is under pressure to retain his job following what became a disastrous 2019 season.
“What I’m predicting here is that Wayne Bennett will be the next coach of St George Illawarra,” Rothfield said.
“I think it will happen in the next 12 months and I think it’s going to be potentially the biggest story of the year.”

The Rabbitohs find themselves in an off-field transitional period over the next few years with general manager of football Shane Richardson also revealing he would quit the club at the same time as Bennett.
“Wayne Bennett doesn’t want to be a football manager like Gus Gould was at Penrith,” Rothfield said.

I would have thought there would have been a lovely slot for him to be Shane Richardson, Richo goes and they (Bennett and Demetriou) work together there.
(But) he insists he wants to coach again.”

McGregor survived an internal review in the off-season, but Rothfield does not believe that will guarantee his long-term safety and that both the Dragons and Bennett would have a mutual interest in rekindling their relationship.
”Everyone knows that if St George struggle this year — and it’s looking like they will with their roster and doubts around (suspended forward Jack) De Belin — that ‘Mary’ McGregor is gone,” he said.
”He was a cigarette paper off being axed last year.
Ask should McGregor have been sacked last year, Rothfield said, “Yes, he should have been.
They had the review you have when you don’t have a review. They brought in Mary’s mate Phil Gould to do the review. You know what he found? ‘Mary should stay’. What a shock.”

Dragons assistant Shane Flanagan is keen on a top-level coaching return but, under the terms of his return following a suspension over Cronulla’s salary cap scandal, the NRL has only let Flanagan take on an assistant role for the next two years. That would rule him out of succeeding McGregor if things go sour at the Dragons this season.
“I know for a fact that Wayne Bennett would be open to going back to St George,” Rothfield said.
“He loved this stint there — he won a premiership there and I honestly think it’s a big chance of happening.”
The Rabbitohs have been tipped as title challengers in 2020, but Rothfield and colleague Dean Ritchie believe the Bennett-Demetriou situation could derail their premiership ambitions.
“This is the problem Souths have when you try to set out your future long term,” Ritchie said. “I get that every club needs and wants stability, but when you say to a coach you’ve got two years and you’re out, those two years can be very disruptive on a variety of levels.”

Rothfield said adding to the speculation was Bennett’s track record of failing to see out contracts.
“It started back in 1987 at Canberra when he left the Raiders mid-contract to become the first coach of the Brisbane Broncos,” he said.
“He also found the going too tough at the Newcastle Knights and walked out early on his contract there to go take a job at the Broncos.
“He also left this Broncos contract early, albeit he was axed, because they thought he was pre-coaching at Souths before he got down there and they wanted to do the swap with Seibold.
“There’s a few contracts over the years he hasn’t seen out.”
Bennett’s position at the Rabbitohs, while also having one eye on the future, could also impact the Rabbitohs’ playing ranks.

Cameron Murray is off contract at the end of next year. Would Wayne Bennett be keen to extend him or would be Wayne Bennett be keen to have a quiet chat to him and say ‘look, I’m off to St George, would you think about coming over and captaining that club?” Rothfield said.
“Other players that need to be extended at Souths that Jason Demetriou might want to keep but Wayne Bennett doesn’t think they’re worthy of that.”
According to Rothfield, McGregor isn’t the only coach who should be looking over their shoulder at Bennett.
“If Dean Pay doesn’t improve the Bulldogs this year I think Wayne Bennett would be an obvious target for them,” Rothfield said.

We know George Khoury and their leagues club prints money and they’d have the cash available to attract him.
“There’s a $4 million war chest there at the beginning of next year to rebuild.
“I just think it’s a really big developing story that could be unsettling for the Rabbitohs particularly if they go through a rough streak this year.”
While the Bennett-Demetriou succession isn’t due to be happen until the end of next year, Rothfield says the transition is already happening.
“You ask any player there, he’s not the hands-on coach,” Rothfield said of Bennett.
“Demetriou is the hands-on coach there.”
If Bennett was genuinely available, we would be mad not to throw him the keys.
I can just imagine preliminary talks:
"1st condition - Get rid of McGregor quick smart.
I'll get rid of all his pre-ordained first team pets - leave that to me"

The interest in Bennett's return would be huge.
Membership would soar AND we would soon have a gritty, competitive Team to follow.
You watch Bennett piece together a dynamite Team. He naturally attracts high quality players.
He will soon separate the wheat from the chaff, use the bench properly and develop youngsters into firstgraders.
The irony would be that he was the catalyst to get rid of McGregor twice...
Would love this to happen for our club.
What a shot in the arm.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
8,938
If Bennett was genuinely available, we would be mad not to throw him the keys.
I can just imagine preliminary talks:
"1st condition - Get rid of McGregor quick smart.
I'll get rid of all his pre-ordained first team pets - leave that to me"

The interest in Bennett's return would be huge.
Membership would soar AND we would soon have a gritty, competitive Team to follow.
You watch Bennett piece together a dynamite Team. He naturally attracts high quality players.
He will soon separate the wheat from the chaff, use the bench properly and develop youngsters into firstgraders.
The irony would be that he was the catalyst to get rid of McGregor twice...
Would love this to happen for our club.
What a shot in the arm.
Yes but thenYoung stays as assistant coach and is endorsed as the next coach. So the wheel turns over and over again
 
Messages
2,866
Yes but thenYoung stays as assistant coach and is endorsed as the next coach. So the wheel turns over and over again
Yes but thenYoung stays as assistant coach and is endorsed as the next coach. So the wheel turns over and over again
I know that's what it looks like but it may not be so cut and dried.
Two things:
(a) Let's wait and see who the new CEO is. If it is Craig Young then God help us.
If it is an outsider, it may not be so certain that Deano is anointed the next coach.
(b) 2-3 years under Bennett is a much more valuable apprenticeship than 6 years under McGregor.
I don't doubt Dean Young's passion and love for the club. I only doubt his aptitude and experience.
He may well be molded into a great successor under Bennett.
Funnily enough, Bennett seems to have a burgeoning appetite to continue coaching so his tenure may last 3 years +.
Let's get him here first and then start worrying about who will be his successor.
Right now we are in coaching quick sand with our heads barely visible so Bennett would be a massive upgrade on our current cluster of assistants.
 

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