No rush on Dugan selection call
By MITCH JENNINGS
Nov. 12, 2015, 10:29 a.m.
HE’S cemented the NSW No.1 jersey but Josh Dugan is no certainty to wear the same jumper for the Dragons next season.
Dugan was named NSW player of the year last season for his performances across the State of Origin series where he capably filled the hole left by now NFL running back Jarryd Hayne.
He was part of the Blues drought-breaking series victory in 2014 playing at right centre, a move he also made at club level scoring nine tries in 12 games over the latter half of the season – two more than the seven he managed for the entire season last year.
Dugan led the club in line breaks, tackle busts and average run metres last year but the club’s struggle to post points could prompt McGregor to deploy him as a strike weapon on the edge with new recruit Kurt Mann and utility back Peter Mata’utia capable of playing at fullback.
The club began preseason training on Thursday and McGregor said he won’t be making any positional decisions until after the Christmas break.
‘‘Positionally I’m just looking at multi-skilling everyone up over the next five to six weeks,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘If you look at the injuries we have in the game we play I think it’s important that you don’t pidgeon-hole players in certain spots.
‘‘To have Josh, who’s been able to play at the highest level both at right centre and fullback and be dominant in both, is a good thing for the squad.
‘‘In the new year it’ll be a different story when we start putting specific attacking structures in place. Then we’ll zero in on who’s improved and who’s the right fit for the football team.
“It’s always about the team and not the individual.”
The Dugan selection dilemma is a luxury rather than a headache and there’s no doubt the Dragons will enter 2016 far more settled in key positions than last year with Gareth Widdop and Benji Marshall a lock in the halves and Mitch Rein enjoying a breakout season and finishing the season as an 80-minute man.
The likes of Tyson Frizell, Joel Thompson and club MVP Leeson Ah Mau also enjoyed career-best seasons and the Dragons have only added to their forward stocks with Russell Packer, Mose Masoe and Dunamis Lui.
‘‘[Frizell and Thompson] produced regular 80-minute performances on an edge which puts us in a much better position than we were this time last year,” McGregor said.
‘‘With the possibility of Russell and Mose both being available it gives us that size factor that we’ve certainly lacked against the more dominant teams.
“When you look at those top rosters they all have one or two bigs in their 17.
“In that way we’re certainly in a better position going forward with our depth.’’
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/3487013/dugan-fullback-call-a-luxury-for-mcgregor/?cs=302
