Paul McGregor Signs Two Year Extension - Report

[BrissyRedV]

April Fools, gentlemen.






Ugh, I suddenly feel so unclean.

EDIT: may as well keep it up here, it's going to be reality in a couple of weeks

I don't need these sort of negative waves...

 

[BrissyRedV]

Top 4 Round 26!

Premiership October...

 

[2010]

A month ago he was the bookies’ favourite to be the first NRL coach sacked - now the Dragons have opened up talks to extend Paul McGregor’s contract.
McGregor’s deal with the club expires in October and it was widely assumed that the club would let him go and chase Ivan Cleary or Des Hasler.
But Cleary is off to the Tigers, Hasler will stay at the Bulldogs - and McGregor is off to a flying start to the season with the Dragons.
They are playing bright, attacking confident football - a stark contrast to the past two seasons. I’m being told that Dragons chief executive Peter Doust has had a quiet chat with McGregor’s manager David Riolo - and more talks are set to follow if the team keeps performing.
Sometimes an April Fools Joke can come back and bite you..

 

[BrissyRedV]

A month ago he was the bookies’ favourite to be the first NRL coach sacked - now the Dragons have opened up talks to extend Paul McGregor’s contract.
McGregor’s deal with the club expires in October and it was widely assumed that the club would let him go and chase Ivan Cleary or Des Hasler.
But Cleary is off to the Tigers, Hasler will stay at the Bulldogs - and McGregor is off to a flying start to the season with the Dragons.
They are playing bright, attacking confident football - a stark contrast to the past two seasons. I’m being told that Dragons chief executive Peter Doust has had a quiet chat with McGregor’s manager David Riolo - and more talks are set to follow if the team keeps performing.
Sometimes an April Fools Joke can come back and bite you..

I don't understand the rush. We could leave it till December as it is not like he would have any other club chasing his signature. He is and always will be a cut price option. I hope this start hasn't been a false dawn that causes any shifty knee jerk reaction.

 

[ALSGI]

I don't understand the rush. We could leave it till December as it is not like he would have any other club chasing his signature. He is and always will be a cut price option. I hope this start hasn't been a false dawn that causes any shifty knee jerk reaction.

Agree BRV,
I can't think of any benefit to extending him early, especially given his responsibilities are now focussed on coaching footy. He has a long way to go before an extension should be considered.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

I don't understand the rush. We could leave it till December as it is not like he would have any other club chasing his signature. He is and always will be a cut price option. I hope this start hasn't been a false dawn that causes any shifty knee jerk reaction.

Precisely, you wouldn't want to rush thru a deal during halftime Anzac Day game ..... who would even contemplate such a thought?

 

[RedVee]

True that no one else will want him, but still need to select next years coach earlier than we (the fans) would like due to player power.
Eg Tigers. Players (managers?) want to know who the coach is before they sign on.

 

[ALSGI]

True that no one else will want him, but still need to select next years coach earlier than we (the fans) would like due to player power.
Eg Tigers. Players (managers?) want to know who the coach is before they sign on.

Imo, I think players are far more interested in the money, player roster and lifestyle than the coach. No doubt a good coach would sweeten the deal though not a priority.

 

[BrissyRedV]

True that no one else will want him, but still need to select next years coach earlier than we (the fans) would like due to player power.
Eg Tigers. Players (managers?) want to know who the coach is before they sign on.

Admittedly yes, a coach should be signed up early but only if it is a quality first grade coach comes onto the market we should snap him up. But if the exhaustive search ends in Mary being retained, which a pray to the gods to be not so, then that can wait till the end of the season. Players will come for the money, not him. With Hunt signed, I don't think we will see any further major external signings.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Dragons coach Paul McGregor aims to finalise contract extension by Round 12 of NRL
MATT LOGUE, The Sunday Telegraph
April 1, 2017 6:13pm
Subscriber only
OFF-CONTRACT coach Paul McGregor is edging closer to re-signing at St George Illawarra, with his future expected to be finalised by round 12.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal McGregor has kickstarted informal positive negotiations to remain at the Dragons beyond this season.

It’s quite a turnaround for the ex-Test and Origin star.

Just last season, McGregor was under enormous pressure to keep his job following St George Illawarra’s disappointing 2016 campaign.

The Dragons claimed just 10 wins to finish 11th, prompting the club to conduct a comprehensive review in the off-season.

However the landscape has changed following St George Illawarra’s strong start to 2017.

The Dragons have won three of their opening four matches to sit in the top four heading into Sunday’s clash against the Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium.

This form has been favourable for McGregor, who barring a string of disastrous defeats, is in the box seat to secure at new deal.

In the pre-season, he told reporters he was confident of extending his three-year deal at the Dragons.

“I’m real comfortable to be totally honest,” he said.

“The first year in we made the eight and last year wasn’t a success. This year is real important for me.

“I believe the pressure as a coach is a privilege. If you’re not under any pressure, you’re not really needed any more.

“To be a coach in the NRL there is always some deal of pressure. If I can shoulder most of that and keep it away from the players, and their performance doesn’t have to suffer, I’ll be one happy chap.’’

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/cc5d51e050e37375a3637b34c1dd98b8

 

[BringTheNoise]

This quote right here sums up just how pathetic our once great club has become.

In the pre-season, he told reporters he was confident of extending his three-year deal at the Dragons.

“I’m real comfortable to be totally honest,” he said.

“The first year in we made the eight and last year wasn’t a success. This year is real important for me.

Clearly winning premierships are no longer a priority.

 

[Lovemedragons]

Top 4 Round 26!

Top 4 after finals, preferably the bar should be set at a GF appearance.

 

[monsterkev]

I hate to admit but I am kind of hoping we get smashed by the Tigers and also loose 3 or 4 games in a row
I do not want mcgregor to coach beyond this season
And what I am reading on some of these threads disgusts me
People now becoming turncoats
And suggesting he deserves a new contract
Get back with the program and keep calling for him to be sacked
Also I think Tigers will come out firing and saints will underestimate them

 

[Saint or sinner]

Well the daily telegraph has just posted that Mary will have an extension by rd 12..if we keep winning and make semis it would stupid as a club to sack him..I seem to think a lot of people on this forum don't like him no matter what he does..he could win a gf and we still will see a sack mcgregor post..judge him on his success not personality..also think of the team he inherited when he took over from Steven price it was crap

 

[to_ddeath]

Well the daily telegraph has just posted that Mary will have an extension by rd 12..if we keep winning and make semis it would stupid as a club to sack him..I seem to think a lot of people on this forum don't like him no matter what he does..he could win a gf and we still will see a sack mcgregor post..judge him on his success not personality..also think of the team he inherited when he took over from Steven price it was crap

Wrong.
If he started winning finals games as a coach then I'd probably start to back off....proof so far suggests that is unlikely to happen.
There should no rush whatsoever in making a decision just yet, other options should still be looked at regardless.

 

[Red V for life]

Mary's sales pitch to be coach in 2018 will be something like:

I've got the forward pack I wanted this season and look at the results so far. Imagine what I can do with a top notch halfback, which we'll have next year. Getting another coach in...there aren't many experienced options out there so you'd be looking at a rookie. I'm a proven NRL coach with runs on the board and took the team to the finals in 2015.

Doust will be running to the top drawer of his desk to get pen and paper!

While the above is a pi$$ take, the available (good) coaching stocks are (reportedly) dwindling fast. By Round 12 it'll be Mary or a rookie.

Maybe that's what they are relying on.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Mary McJetski will be the Steve Bradbury of NRL coaches......in other words there will be nobody left or available & we'll be stuck with him cause he made the finals in 2015!!! I'm beginning to feel sick with the PR spin generating.

 

[possm]

Mary McJetski will be the Steve Bradbury of NRL coaches......in other words there will be nobody left or available & we'll be stuck with him cause he made the finals in 2015!!! I'm beginning to feel sick with the PR spin generating.

The fact that there may be no suitable coaches left to sign is 100% the fault of Dragon's management. These people need to be held accountable for their mismanagement.

I say offer Bennett a new start with his new partner. He seems to be offside with the Broncos community now.

 

[smi962]

Don't worry it has not happened
But it could
Hasler will have a new contract this month so all the rumours of him coming to the dragons have amounted to nothing as do most of the rumours involving saints

How can the rumour go from Hasler getting the sack to signing a massive new two year contract after one win against the Broncos?

Either the media was way off in him getting the sack or the Bulldogs are run by a bunch of reactionary nut-cases.

 

[mickeylane]

Upp

I hate to admit but I am kind of hoping we get smashed by the Tigers and also loose 3 or 4 games in a row
I do not want mcgregor to coach beyond this season
And what I am reading on some of these threads disgusts me
People now becoming turncoats
And suggesting he deserves a new contract
Get back with the program and keep calling for him to be sacked
Also I think Tigers will come out firing and saints will underestimate them

uppercut time!! Why would u want th team to lose? Mcgregors is staying for 2 more years