Illawarra Cup team up and running

[Father Ted]

Illawarra Cup team up and running


BY MIKE GANDON
20 Oct, 2011 04:00 AM
The new Illawarra team in the NSW Cup competition is in the process of being assembled for the 2012 rugby league season.
Dragons director, Steelers deputy chairman and the club's NSW Cup committee chairman, Sean O'Connor, said some meetings have been held to begin preparing Illawarra for its entry into the competition next year.
"We've been speaking with a really good group of players," O'Connor said yesterday.
Training under the guidance of coach Paul McGregor will start at the University of Wollongong on Tuesday, November 15.
A couple of trial games are planned in the off season.
"We're getting a good group of younger players together - players coming out of under 20s, in the 20-24 age group," O'Connor said.
"There is also a group of fringe NRL players.
"We've got an agreement that we will be playing at WIN Stadium.
"The NSW Cup competition runs concurrently with the NRL. Early in the season we will be playing on the same days as the Steelers junior representative teams - the Harold Matthews Cup under 16s and SG Ball Cup under 18s."
The Illawarra team will wear the traditional scarlet and white colours of the Illawarra Steelers.
The NSW Cup sits between the elite NRL competition and above the Toyota Cup under 20s.
"It provides an opportunity for the over age players to continue on a pathway to the NRL," O'Connor said.
"It's ironic that 'Mary' (McGregor) is coaching over-age players because he didn't start his first grade career with Illawarra until he was in his 20s, going on to represent NSW and Australia."

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...llawarra-cup-team-up-and-running/2329840.aspx

 

[Puff]

They are doomed to an injury plagued season. I know this because, I guess I just have a hunch.

 

[Stagger Lee]

They are doomed to an injury plagued season. I know this because, I guess I just have a hunch.

So your not putting your faith in Mary McGregor's faith healing abilities then eh :lol:

 

[Puff]

Being a betting man, I study the form guide closely. I have got my house on the injury plagued option.

 

[Godz Illa]

First training session last night apparently

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...-to-coach-illawarra-nsw-cup-side/2357758.aspx

BY SAM HALL
15 Nov, 2011 04:00 AM

‘‘IF someone’s not doing the right thing, I’ll just get rid of them.’’
Welcome to coach Paul McGregor’s boot camp.
The former Steeler and Kangaroos player made a name for himself as a hard-charging leader on the field, and last night he was quick to share his no-nonsense approach as coach of the Illawarra NSW Cup side.
An extended squad of 40 players participated in the club’s first training session in Wollongong, under the guidance of the premiership-winning Wests Illawarra master coach.
With only five team hopefuls based outside the Illawarra, the side is nearly wholly made up of Group 7 and Carlton League talent.
McGregor believes instilling the right work ethic into players will be an automatic progression forward, particularly if it’s done from the outset.
‘‘My biggest thing about being a coach is about players giving themselves the right opportunities. I’m massive on discipline, respect and self-belief,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve got to build the right culture from day one and the players need to be involved in that.
‘‘If someone’s not doing the right thing, I’ll just get rid of them.’’
McGregor expects the squad to be narrowed down to less than 25 over the coming weeks. As an evaluation tool, players will be pitted against one another during a trial game on December 3.
‘‘I haven’t seen the squad play and I don’t know a lot about a few of them so what we’re going to do is have a game and from that we’ll pick our squad and leave one or two spots open,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve signed about 12 guys thus far, but they’ll still play in this trial to see what the calibre of player is against them.’’
The team will train three nights a week until Christmas, focusing on strength and conditioning, before stepping up the intensity early next year. It will be the region’s first Cup team since the now-defunct Shellharbour Dragons outfit bowed to financial pressures in 2010.

 

[Mr Red]

"McGregor expects the squad to be narrowed down to less than 25 over the coming weeks" - i think that happened due to 15 injuries after the first session...

 

[gypsy]

"McGregor expects the squad to be narrowed down to less than 25 over the coming weeks" - i think that happened due to 15 injuries after the first session...

Maybe the ones that can't go beer for beer with Mary will be cut. He did make Mark Riddell's drinking team after all

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...put-the-go-into-partygoer-20110409-1d8gx.html

6 Dragons in the starting 13!

 

[centralsaint]

Has the squad been officially announced yet? Just curious to who is in the team.