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The fact that he tells the players dont think about the consequences of the fallout of another loss....means that they just are now focussing on it..and reading between the lines the coach certainly is.June 7 2020 - 3:57PM
McGregor urges Dragons to find NRL fire
St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has urged his struggling players to find their NRL fire.
St George Illawarra players will be well aware what will happen to their coach should they slump to a fourth-straight loss to open the season.
That's why Paul McGregor has implored them not to think about the consequences when they face Canterbury on Monday in a battle of winless NRL teams.
Defeat for either side would ramp up the pressure already building on both coaches, with Bulldogs mentor Dean Pay also under fire for their sorry start.
Aware of his team's crisis in confidence, McGregor urged his team to cast out the fallout of another potential loss when they arrived at Bankwest Stadium.
Only five teams in the NRL era have recovered in time to make the finals after dropping their opening four games of the season.
And only one team in rugby league history - the Newtown Jets in 1933 - have gone on to win the trophy from the same predicament, but that had been with no grand final.
Then, there's the repercussions the defeat might have on the coach, whose side have lost 11 of their past 13 games, with both wins coming against Gold Coast.
"Sometimes, a group - when you haven't won for some time - you play not to lose, instead of going all out to win and being fearless at it and not worrying about the repercussions from that," McGregor said.
"That's one way to look at it this week.
"And really have some pushback when we don't get what we want.
"If we get a six-to-go against, a penalty and try, or repeat set, whatever it may be, we've got to push back, go the opposite way and stick at it when it gets tough."
McGregor responded to his team's limp performance against the Warriors last week by making a number of changes, including axing fullback Matt Dufty.
Corey Norman has been shifted to fullback, with Ben Hunt moving to five-eighth and 24-year-old playmaker Adam Clune being handed his NRL debut.
Australian Associated Press
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6784156/mcgregor-urges-dragons-to-find-nrl-fire/?cs=9321
..Coaching 101 Mc0 NFL style
f**king hell Crush. Your optimism is incredible. You are the sort of bloke that I’d want standing shoulder to shoulder with me in a fight.
How on earth can the mental giant see Aitken ASA better option than Fuimaono, or for that matter same goes for Mez?
TEAM LISTS
24-hour warning: Round 4 v Bulldogs
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Sun 7 Jun 2020, 03:58 PM
St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has trimmed his squad to 19 ahead of the Dragons' Round 4 clash against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium on Monday, June 8.
Matt Dufty and Jackson Ford are the two players to drop out of Tuesday’s initial 21-man squad.
In a lesson in perseverance, 24-year-old local Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles junior Adam Clune will make his NRL debut at halfback.
Clune's maiden first grade game, having been attached with the Dragons since 2011 upon representing the Illawarra Steelers in the Harold Matthews, will coincide with his 100th senior game for the Red V (45 games for Under-20s, 54 games for Canterbury Cup NSW).
Soon to be Dragons player #233, Clune's inclusion sees Corey Norman shift to fullback at the expense of Matt Dufty, while Josh Kerr has been named to start in the front row for the first time.
Dufty is joined in the reserves by Tyrell Fuimaono, while Korbin Sims drops out of the 21 altogether. Veteran duo Trent Merrin and Issac Luke are the new faces included on the interchange.
Ben Hunt – in his first game at five-eighth since 2013 – will play his 50th game for the Dragons.
NRL squad for Round 4 v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs:
1. Corey Norman – sponsored by Kingsgrove Sports Centre
2. Jordan Pereira – sponsored by Wollongong Jetski
3. Brayden Wiliame – sponsored by Nutrition Station
4. Zac Lomax – sponsored by Floormania
5. Mikaele Ravalawa – sponsored by TripADeal
6. Ben Hunt – sponsored by Paul's Customs and Forwarding Solutions
7. Adam Clune – sponsored by Baytek Construction
8. Josh Kerr – sponsored by Professionals Padstow
9. Cameron McInnes (c) – sponsored by Dincel Construction System
10. Paul Vaughan – sponsored by Fox Property
11. Tyson Frizell – sponsored by Modus Projects
12. Tariq Sims – sponsored by Stonemasons & Landscapers (since 1970)
13. James Graham – sponsored by EFEX
Interchange:
14. Trent Merrin – sponsored by Dynamic Projects
15. Blake Lawrie – sponsored by SMAI
16. Issac Luke – sponsored by CMG Audio Visual
17. Euan Aitken – sponsored by University of Wollongong
18. Tyrell Fuimaono
20. Jacob Host
https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/06/07/nrl-team-announcement-round-4-v-bulldogs/
Hope so, hopefully his nose doesn’t hamper him because knowing Mary if he doesn’t win man of the match he’ll never play again. We have to build again I want the Sharks and I want the Rorters, I want Mary gone as much as the next person but I still want to see us win. I’m tipping Kerr to play a big one.
I hope the boys pull their fingers out.
I don’t want the spoon in our cabinet ever. Missing the finals should be enough to see the bloke gone. I can’t see a scenario where he is gone before season’s end nor do I see one where he sees out his contract. I think they will persist with him for 2020, he will be terminated Jan 1 where he’ll be given some token role where they only have to pay half of 2021. If I’m wrong I’ll never have been so happy to be wrong.
