Paul McGregor Extension

[Gareth67]

L plates reaction when he hears the words game plan or you are allowed to use your full bench you know

Just so , blacksafake exactly that . The look of utter stupidity upon his face when the penny finally drops !

 

[getsmarty]

OPINION


Why McGregor's the man to lead Red V to glory
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 18 Apr 2019, 06:08 PM

Paul McGregor has the best winning record of any NRL coach yet to win a premiership and he hopes to achieve that goal within the next three seasons after finalising a contract extension that should ensure he becomes St George Illawarra’s longest serving mentor.

The Dragons board recognised the continued improvement of the team and the development of representative stars under McGregor’s guidance by extending his tenure until the end of 2021.

In the four full seasons McGregor has had charge of St George Illawarra since taking over from Steve Price in May, 2014, the Dragons have made the finals twice and been on top of the Telstra Premiership ladder for long periods in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

McGregor’s record during that period comprises 50 wins from 99 matches - a strike rate of 50.5 per cent.

Only Craig Bellamy (77), Wayne Bennett (67), Trent Robinson (62) and Paul Green (60) achieved more wins, while Des Hasler (52 per cent) is the only other coach with a better than 50 per cent winning record since 2015.



Passion drives Mary to extend contract

All five are premiership-winning coaches, but Bennett’s last success was with St George Illawarra in 2010, while Hasler’s most recent grand final triumph was with Manly in 2011. Both are in new jobs this season after being sacked by their previous clubs.

Some Dragons fans have been critical of McGregor but the level of support for him usually coincides with which part of the club logo they identify with – the top, which carries the St George name, or the bottom, where Illawarra is printed.

I have got quality staff and quality people as players, and that doesn’t take a day to do - it takes years.

Paul McGregor
Having captained St George Illawarra for the first three seasons of the joint venture (1999-2001), McGregor is passionate about the club and he has now spent more of his life playing or working for the Dragons than the eight years he played for the Steelers.

“I’ve always had a strong passion and I always will for the club that I played for and the club I coach,” McGregor told reporters ahead of Saturday night’s match against Hasler’s Sea Eagles at WIN Stadium.

“It has got a strong history and a lot of people in the past have done so much to get the club to where it is today so I just want to continue the tradition of working hard to make sure I leave the club in a better position than I found it.”

After inheriting a roster that was light on for forwards and lacking in quality halves, McGregor has had to reshape his squad and the Dragons now boast ones of the best packs in the NRL.



McGregor extends contract

Under McGregor’s coaching, Tyson Frizell, Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims and Jack de Belin have developed into Origin or Test forwards, while halfback Ben Hunt and hooker Cameron McInnes are playing better than at their previous clubs.

McGregor has also had to make some hard decisions around retention and it could be argued that the likes of Trent Merrin, Brett Morris, Russell Packer and Mitch Rein all played their best football at the Dragons.

“We have improved in the last three years from 11th to ninth to seventh, the stability around our junior development and our pathways is strong and our cap is in really good shape going forward,” he said.

“I have got quality staff and quality people as players, and that doesn’t take a day to do - it takes years. Every club, unless you are a club who has had success recently, it takes time to build and when you do have success, as you have seen at the Cowboys at the moment, it can be taken away pretty quickly.”



Dragons v Sea Eagles - Round 6

The Dragons are continuing to develop local talent, with Matt Dufty, Blake Lawrie and Zac Lomax establishing themselves in the top 17 this season and Illawarra just one win away from a place in the SG Ball grand final.

Importantly, the players enjoy being coached by McGregor and have adopted the team-first values he has instilled.

Many have asked when McGregor was going to be re-signed, and his re-appointment should help the club to retain the likes of Frizell, de Belin, Lawrie and Lomax, who are off contract this year or in 2020.

“Obviously our values are pretty strong, we want to have a happy environment, we want to have an accountable environment, we want to have respect and we want to be dedicated,” McGregor said.

“If you look at those four values that takes time as well so we are fortunate to have a stable environment around the workplace.

“I think along the way the board and the CEO have seen how hard we work behind the scenes to not just worry about the W and L [columns], but what is happening beneath that.”

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/04/18/why-mcgregors-the-man-to-lead-red-v-to-glory/

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Its everything about the win / loss ratio.
Everything else is secondary.

 

[possm]

The question is, would a different coach, a top line coach, have done a better job. Let's see now how well we go, not that Mary has his extension.

 

[Crush]

The question is, would a different coach, a top line coach, have done a better job. Let's see now how well we go, not that Mary has his extension.

Mary is fortunate enough to have Millward taking care of recruiting and retention. If it were still up to Mary we would have Dugan as our fullback.

 

[possm]

Mary is fortunate enough to have Millward taking care of recruiting and retention. If it were still up to Mary we would have Dugan as our fullback.

So are you saying it was Millward's decision to let Robson go?

 

[Crush]

So are you saying it was Millward's decision to let Robson go?

Mary won't select Robson on the bench as he has stated that he will ALWAYS carry a back on the bench.
So without a spot for Robson, seeing as we have McInnes in front of him, there is no option but for Robson to go.
It's Mary's doing.

 

[Warabrook saint]

That “stutter” came at the hands of the dragons coached by Paul McGregor. when everyone in the Rugby League world, barring optimistic dragons fans didn’t give us a hope. I didn’t think we’d win that game but we did. Last season we finished the highest since we won the Comp in 2010.

I accept that the club has signed him to a contract extension and I’m ok with that. But what’s more important than my opinion or anyone else’s here is that the players are happy with that.

Would I have preferred a Bellamy, Bennett in charge, absolutely. But There’s not a glut of good coaches out there hanging about to be signed up. Especially of the likes of those two..

There are a glut of coaches who’ve been white-anted by players aka “senior leadership group”.. and the club has imploded.. We don’t have that issue. To have a team who want to “play for the coach” is a great thing. We have that.

Currently we are 3-2 including 3 road games (two in qld). To me that’s a solid start to the year.

I’m looking at the positives. Of what we have. Not what we don’t have. To focus on negatives will make me as miserable and angry as many of the people in here.. I’d rather be positive than a sack of misery...

I wish it didn't but 1 finals win in 7 years makes me sick

 

[Dragonsteve2]

I wish it didn't but 1 finals win in 7 years makes me sick

John, I fully understand the angst on the Forum over Mary's extension. I have been struggling to comprehend it myself. Possm has raised the question of would we have done better with a different coach. I would certainly think so. Would love to turn the clock back and install JD for the start of the 2017 season.

There are lots of posters here who suggest an Illawarra based conspiracy. I am not a fan of conspiracy theories while admitting that I have no knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes. So what is my theory on why Mary has been extended?

1. The players like Mary. They are comfortable with him because they know they are not under the threat of being dropped. Mary enjoys being one of the boys who is liked rather than being a tough taskmaster who might be respected but not loved. If you think of these guys as playing football as their job they have a boss who likes them and is not too demanding. They can talk to him as a mate.

2. While there is harmony within the playing group the club is happy just to have a competitive team. Exclude the Jack de Belin affair(a big exclusion admittedly) and there has been no scandal at the club under Mary during an era of scandals.

3. Because of this team harmony and competitiveness the club is happy to live with issues such as the short-sightedness of Mary's bench policy and his reluctance to give young talent any more than 10 minute cameos.

4. The club brushes off losses of talented players as a fact of life when you have a strong roster. There is some truth in this but it is criminal that players are lost without being given a reasonable opportunity to show their wares. Obviously Reece Robson is a classic example of this. I guess Jai Field will be another. But already this season I have watched ex-Dragons like Garrick, Havili and Sele show they are quite capable of quality NRL performances once given a decent chance.

5. No other club is interested in Mary so I assume he comes relatively cheap. So while the team is competitive it is a good business decision and as we are all told constantly in this era, "The NRL is a business".

I have struggled all week with this decision. I will now put it behind me and continue my fanatical support for the Dragons and place extra value on the team's success because I believe club management has extended a major hurdle to it.

 

[Number of the Beath]

They hit the magic 20,000 members mark and then dropped this bombshell.
Here's to those to thought that things would be different under the new regime!

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

he's the coach, he picks the run on side

Agreed.

He's picked Dufty, Lawrie, Host, Pereira, Leilua amongst other young talent over the years.

Unfortunately for Robson he's got a gun hooker in front of him in Cameron McInnes, and there's only one spot for a hooker in the team. Unless injury or desperately poor form hit McInnes then he'd only get a run out of position. Or heaven forbid we change the spine mid-game! Great talent he is, but 2 into one doesn't go.

I dont have any animosity toward anyone for allowing him to sign on a better deal with another club, and let him play first grade.

Wish him all the best.

 

[Warabrook saint]

OPINION


Why McGregor's the man to lead Red V to glory
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 18 Apr 2019, 06:08 PM

Paul McGregor has the best winning record of any NRL coach yet to win a premiership and he hopes to achieve that goal within the next three seasons after finalising a contract extension that should ensure he becomes St George Illawarra’s longest serving mentor.

The Dragons board recognised the continued improvement of the team and the development of representative stars under McGregor’s guidance by extending his tenure until the end of 2021.

In the four full seasons McGregor has had charge of St George Illawarra since taking over from Steve Price in May, 2014, the Dragons have made the finals twice and been on top of the Telstra Premiership ladder for long periods in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

McGregor’s record during that period comprises 50 wins from 99 matches - a strike rate of 50.5 per cent.

Only Craig Bellamy (77), Wayne Bennett (67), Trent Robinson (62) and Paul Green (60) achieved more wins, while Des Hasler (52 per cent) is the only other coach with a better than 50 per cent winning record since 2015.



Passion drives Mary to extend contract

All five are premiership-winning coaches, but Bennett’s last success was with St George Illawarra in 2010, while Hasler’s most recent grand final triumph was with Manly in 2011. Both are in new jobs this season after being sacked by their previous clubs.

Some Dragons fans have been critical of McGregor but the level of support for him usually coincides with which part of the club logo they identify with – the top, which carries the St George name, or the bottom, where Illawarra is printed.

I have got quality staff and quality people as players, and that doesn’t take a day to do - it takes years.

Paul McGregor
Having captained St George Illawarra for the first three seasons of the joint venture (1999-2001), McGregor is passionate about the club and he has now spent more of his life playing or working for the Dragons than the eight years he played for the Steelers.

“I’ve always had a strong passion and I always will for the club that I played for and the club I coach,” McGregor told reporters ahead of Saturday night’s match against Hasler’s Sea Eagles at WIN Stadium.

“It has got a strong history and a lot of people in the past have done so much to get the club to where it is today so I just want to continue the tradition of working hard to make sure I leave the club in a better position than I found it.”

After inheriting a roster that was light on for forwards and lacking in quality halves, McGregor has had to reshape his squad and the Dragons now boast ones of the best packs in the NRL.



McGregor extends contract

Under McGregor’s coaching, Tyson Frizell, Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims and Jack de Belin have developed into Origin or Test forwards, while halfback Ben Hunt and hooker Cameron McInnes are playing better than at their previous clubs.

McGregor has also had to make some hard decisions around retention and it could be argued that the likes of Trent Merrin, Brett Morris, Russell Packer and Mitch Rein all played their best football at the Dragons.

“We have improved in the last three years from 11th to ninth to seventh, the stability around our junior development and our pathways is strong and our cap is in really good shape going forward,” he said.

“I have got quality staff and quality people as players, and that doesn’t take a day to do - it takes years. Every club, unless you are a club who has had success recently, it takes time to build and when you do have success, as you have seen at the Cowboys at the moment, it can be taken away pretty quickly.”



Dragons v Sea Eagles - Round 6

The Dragons are continuing to develop local talent, with Matt Dufty, Blake Lawrie and Zac Lomax establishing themselves in the top 17 this season and Illawarra just one win away from a place in the SG Ball grand final.

Importantly, the players enjoy being coached by McGregor and have adopted the team-first values he has instilled.

Many have asked when McGregor was going to be re-signed, and his re-appointment should help the club to retain the likes of Frizell, de Belin, Lawrie and Lomax, who are off contract this year or in 2020.

“Obviously our values are pretty strong, we want to have a happy environment, we want to have an accountable environment, we want to have respect and we want to be dedicated,” McGregor said.

“If you look at those four values that takes time as well so we are fortunate to have a stable environment around the workplace.

“I think along the way the board and the CEO have seen how hard we work behind the scenes to not just worry about the W and L [columns], but what is happening beneath that.”

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/04/18/why-mcgregors-the-man-to-lead-red-v-to-glory/

How about some intelligence to use the roster properly mcgregor

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

John, I fully understand the angst on the Forum over Mary's extension. I have been struggling to comprehend it myself. Possm has raised the question of would we have done better with a different coach. I would certainly think so. Would love to turn the clock back and install JD for the start of the 2017 season.

There are lots of posters here who suggest an Illawarra based conspiracy. I am not a fan of conspiracy theories while admitting that I have no knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes. So what is my theory on why Mary has been extended?

1. The players like Mary. They are comfortable with him because they know they are not under the threat of being dropped. Mary enjoys being one of the boys who is liked rather than being a tough taskmaster who might be respected but not loved. If you think of these guys as playing football as their job they have a boss who likes them and is not too demanding. They can talk to him as a mate.

2. While there is harmony within the playing group the club is happy just to have a competitive team. Exclude the Jack de Belin affair(a big exclusion admittedly) and there has been no scandal at the club under Mary during an era of scandals.

3. Because of this team harmony and competitiveness the club is happy to live with issues such as the short-sightedness of Mary's bench policy and his reluctance to give young talent any more than 10 minute cameos.

4. The club brushes off losses of talented players as a fact of life when you have a strong roster. There is some truth in this but it is criminal that players are lost without being given a reasonable opportunity to show their wares. Obviously Reece Robson is a classic example of this. I guess Jai Field will be another. But already this season I have watched ex-Dragons like Garrick, Havili and Sele show they are quite capable of quality NRL performances once given a decent chance.

5. No other club is interested in Mary so I assume he comes relatively cheap. So while the team is competitive it is a good business decision and as we are all told constantly in this era, "The NRL is a business".

I have struggled all week with this decision. I will now put it behind me and continue my fanatical support for the Dragons and place extra value on the team's success because I believe club management has extended a major hurdle to it.

Do you recall Brett Morris’s “presser” following his last game for SGI against the Warriors in 2014? McGregor was sitting next to them and their exceptionally poor language remains vivid in my mind.

Not for one second do I believe that many players are content with the current “coach”. This belief has been reinforced by the quality of personnel (particularly juniors) who have departed over the past few years.

We all know who they are. Most (if they had stayed) would greatly enhance the squad.

It will be interesting who joins Widdop on the way out at season’s end.

 

[BankstownDragon]

Why, why and WHY???

Most seem to be of the belief that there is NO reason to resign Mary now or at all.
I can't believe the level of stupidity and arrogance by our inept, no vision board.

We have had 6 years of very little progress result wise and tactically he has not learnt a thing.

We are playing the same style in attack, a boring 1 out repetitive and easy to defend against pattern.

Defence structure is the same, basically a walk up 5 meters and keep the line by planting your feet. Easy to make serious meters for any opposition.

Use of the bench: a horrendous experience for any fan to watch .

Development of young talent: a joke that no one is laughing about.

How in tell can anyone hope to defend this decision by the club? We have now guaranteed one thing only: we will not win a competition in the next 3 seasons.

 

[merahputih]

I wonder how many drinks it cost Mary for that article.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Why, why and WHY???

Most seem to be of the belief that there is NO reason to resign Mary now or at all.
I can't believe the level of stupidity and arrogance by our inept, no vision board.

We have had 6 years of very little progress result wise and tactically he has not learnt a thing.

We are playing the same style in attack, a boring 1 out repetitive and easy to defend against pattern.

Defence structure is the same, basically a walk up 5 meters and keep the line by planting your feet. Easy to make serious meters for any opposition.

Use of the bench: a horrendous experience for any fan to watch .

Development of young talent: a joke that no one is laughing about.

How in tell can anyone hope to defend this decision by the club? We have now guaranteed one thing only: we will not win a competition in the next 3 seasons.

Let alone making a grand final, which Saints have managed to do in every decade since the 1920s.

 

[possm]

Do you recall Brett Morris’s “presser” following his last game for SGI against the Warriors in 2014? McGregor was sitting next to them and their exceptionally poor language remains vivid in my mind.

Not for one second do I believe that many players are content with the current “coach”. This belief has been reinforced by the quality of personnel (particularly juniors) who have departed over the past few years.

We all know who they are. Most (if they had stayed) would greatly enhance the squad.

It will be interesting who joins Widdop on the way out at season’s end.

May be a couple of players plus Robson gone by Jun 30

 

[getsmarty]

Why Paul McGregor’s ‘best chance’ at Dragons title may have just slipped away
Dragons

• April 19, 2019 11:12am
• Simon Brunsdon@simonbrunsdon
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Injured Dragons captain Gareth Widdop and coach Paul McGregor.Source: News Corp Australia
Mark Gasnier says St George Illawarra was justified in extending coach Paul McGregor’s contract, but admits this season may have been the club’s best chance to win an elusive NRL premiership.

The Dragons announced a two-year extension for McGregor on Thursday, tying him down until the end of 2021.

He took the reins mid-2014 and has led the team to two finals series in five years, with last year’s semi final appearance their best finish to a season under his tutelage.


There’s been a knock on McGregor and his Dragons for a habit of starting a season strongly and then dropping off in the second half of the year.

But Gasnier, who played 174 games in the Red V, applauded the decision to extend McGregor’s contract.

“I think it’s a good move. Last year he probably had the roster he wanted but then he had dramas surrounding injuries, particularly with (Gareth) Widdop,” Gasnier told foxsports.com.au.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor signed a contract extension.Source: Getty Images

“I think he’s done well. I thought he did amazingly well when he took over with the squad he had, and they’ve shown so much potential.

“They’ve been the best attacking team and been on top of the table after 10 or 11 rounds for two seasons prior to this season.

“I think the contract extension is justified.”

And while St George Illawarra powerbrokers and fans will be hoping McGregor can lead the club to another premiership before his contract expires, Gasnier fears the window may be missed.

The Dragons have been forced to take the field without State of Origin lock Jack de Belin this season as the player fights a rape charge in court.

Then their captain and fullback Gareth Widdop suffered what will likely be a season-ending shoulder injury, and fellow blue-chip players Tyson Frizell and Korbin Sims have struggled for game time.

Even if de Belin wins his civil court case against the NRL and is allowed to return to the field this season, the loss of Widdop is significant to the club’s premiership chances.

Widdop departs the club at season’s end to move home to England.

“I thought this year was probably (McGregor’s) best (chance at a premiership) prior to the de Belin stuff, now Widdop’s injured,” Gasnier said.

Controversy cost Storm $500K


“If everyone was fit and healthy I’d say this was probably their best year. Next year they lose Widdop.

“I think if they are to win the comp they do need Jack.

“If you watch their games it is Cameron McInnes who leads their line speed. He had a partner in crime with a lot of their attacking plays that Jack used to set up.

“You’ve got other guys there who are playing amazing - Jacob Host, Blake Lawrie - those guys are doing an amazing job. What Jack brought is what got him into Origin and it’s something that can’t be replaced straight away.”

The Dragons are in an awkward holding pattern as de Belin’s case against the NRL will likely dictate how they recruit mid-season.

If de Belin’s stand-down is upheld in court, the Dragons can apply to the NRL for salary cap dispensation in order to hit the market and attempt to find a temporary replacement middle forward.

But Gasnier points out there isn’t many available players on the market, and if there was they would likely be asking for more than a half-season contract.


https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...k=f02e4bd53d8cb93806d81171675b1be0-1555732151

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

May be a couple of players plus Robson gone by Jun 30

Reckon.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Why, why and WHY???

Most seem to be of the belief that there is NO reason to resign Mary now or at all.
I can't believe the level of stupidity and arrogance by our inept, no vision board.

We have had 6 years of very little progress result wise and tactically he has not learnt a thing.

We are playing the same style in attack, a boring 1 out repetitive and easy to defend against pattern.

Defence structure is the same, basically a walk up 5 meters and keep the line by planting your feet. Easy to make serious meters for any opposition.

Use of the bench: a horrendous experience for any fan to watch .

Development of young talent: a joke that no one is laughing about.

How in tell can anyone hope to defend this decision by the club? We have now guaranteed one thing only: we will not win a competition in the next 3 seasons.

You pose some very pertinent questions and I have tried to take a step back from this disappointment just in case I can understand the logic.
The one and only reason that makes any sense to me is the cost.
I don't know what sort of money McGregor is on but it will be modest because in his mind, this is a career and he is happy to be in such a prestigious position considering his qualifications.
No other club in the NRL would ever have made such an appointment.
So, from McGregor's point of view, he is in NRL paradise with a sweet job which he never had the qualifications to take on in the first place.
He gets enough wins to keep stringing everyone along mainly because of the roster he has at his disposal.
He tried for a 3 year extension and even after protracted negotiations, he settled for 2.
For the Board and for the new owners, they are saving big coin by having McGregor in charge.
For the Fans, it is a monumental compromise and a path to mid table finishes.
Premierships are not a priority in this club that's why they spin placibos like "Stability" and "Team harmony"