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Sack mcgregor

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Revealed: Red V considered FOURTEEN other coaches before re-signing McGregor




St George Illawarra powerbrokers considered 14 coaching options before rewarding Paul McGregor with a two-year contract extension in April.

Names like Geoff Toovey, Anthony Griffin, Trent Barrett, Jason Ryles and Adam O’Brien were all considered prior to the board rubberstamping McGregor’s tenure until the end of 2021.

With only two victories from their last 11 matches, you’ll be hard pressed finding a Dragons supporter who isn’t currently calling for Mary to be axed.




So why did the Dragons board opt to extend McGregor’s deal to make him the longest-serving St George Illawarra coach in the history of the joint venture?

There’s a variety of reasons.

One of the most obvious is McGregor’s unwavering loyalty to the Red V’s playing roster despite this season’s poor results.

“Leave my players alone,” is a line the Dragons coach routinely defers to.

Just look at the Ben Hunt situation. While most experts have panned the Dragons $1 million halfback missing the must-win game against the Panthers last Friday, McGregor has repeatedly gone into bat for him.

MORE NRL NEWS

TEAM TIPS: Every NRL club’s team news ahead of Round 19

WHAT’S DOING? Walters stunned by ‘strange’ rest, says Hunt was ‘beat up’ in Origin

SACK HIM? Coyne’s ARLC fate to be decided next week

There’s also the fact McGregor has been a key influence in building the Dragons roster since taking the reins as head coach in mid-2014.

Along with director of recruitment and pathways Ian Millward, Mary has been a major influence on building the Red V roster.

And at the start of this season, most experts had them pegged as at least a top eight if not a top four list.

Rewind back to 2016 when the Dragons had an average season before announcing an all-encompassing football department review.

There were rumblings about a divide between McGregor and the Dragons playing group and there were some genuine issues there.


The Dragons then implemented some major changes to the way the football department operated.

The result was McGregor continuing to evolve as a coach to the point where the Dragons were considered one of the better teams last year with one of the NRL’s stronger rosters.

Sure this year has been a car crash and there’s an array of wide-ranging reasons as to why it’s gone so pear-shaped.

In the Dragons dressing room after the lame second half against the Panthers, Red V captain Cameron McInnes let the playing group know in no uncertain who was responsible for the poor performance.



McGregor then stepped to the fore and explained how there was a couple of roads the Dragons powerbrokers could decide to explore from here.


One option would be to get rid of him as coach, which doesn’t seem to make sense since they only re-signed him in April until the end of 2021.

Another would be to shake-up the playing roster.

But the best option, McGregor explained, was for the entire club to bind together and try and fight their way out of a bad situation.

It’s this kind of leadership that underlines why the Dragons players are now being forced to defend their head coach.

Like most NRL coaches, McGregor is a workaholic who routinely punches out 14-hour days at the coal face.

Tuesday’s board meeting is by no means an exercise designed to sharpen the knives on the Dragons head coach.

Of course football department performances will be the main ticket item but there is no incognito witch hunt to try and torpedo McGregor.




https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/ap...r/news-story/be870cd888217440a8c8b85b9e17dc79
 

rednwhites

Juniors
Messages
1,303
Revealed: Red V considered FOURTEEN other coaches before re-signing McGregor




St George Illawarra powerbrokers considered 14 coaching options before rewarding Paul McGregor with a two-year contract extension in April.

Names like Geoff Toovey, Anthony Griffin, Trent Barrett, Jason Ryles and Adam O’Brien were all considered prior to the board rubberstamping McGregor’s tenure until the end of 2021.

With only two victories from their last 11 matches, you’ll be hard pressed finding a Dragons supporter who isn’t currently calling for Mary to be axed.




So why did the Dragons board opt to extend McGregor’s deal to make him the longest-serving St George Illawarra coach in the history of the joint venture?

There’s a variety of reasons.

One of the most obvious is McGregor’s unwavering loyalty to the Red V’s playing roster despite this season’s poor results.

“Leave my players alone,” is a line the Dragons coach routinely defers to.

Just look at the Ben Hunt situation. While most experts have panned the Dragons $1 million halfback missing the must-win game against the Panthers last Friday, McGregor has repeatedly gone into bat for him.

MORE NRL NEWS

TEAM TIPS: Every NRL club’s team news ahead of Round 19

WHAT’S DOING? Walters stunned by ‘strange’ rest, says Hunt was ‘beat up’ in Origin

SACK HIM? Coyne’s ARLC fate to be decided next week

There’s also the fact McGregor has been a key influence in building the Dragons roster since taking the reins as head coach in mid-2014.

Along with director of recruitment and pathways Ian Millward, Mary has been a major influence on building the Red V roster.

And at the start of this season, most experts had them pegged as at least a top eight if not a top four list.

Rewind back to 2016 when the Dragons had an average season before announcing an all-encompassing football department review.

There were rumblings about a divide between McGregor and the Dragons playing group and there were some genuine issues there.


The Dragons then implemented some major changes to the way the football department operated.

The result was McGregor continuing to evolve as a coach to the point where the Dragons were considered one of the better teams last year with one of the NRL’s stronger rosters.

Sure this year has been a car crash and there’s an array of wide-ranging reasons as to why it’s gone so pear-shaped.

In the Dragons dressing room after the lame second half against the Panthers, Red V captain Cameron McInnes let the playing group know in no uncertain who was responsible for the poor performance.



McGregor then stepped to the fore and explained how there was a couple of roads the Dragons powerbrokers could decide to explore from here.


One option would be to get rid of him as coach, which doesn’t seem to make sense since they only re-signed him in April until the end of 2021.

Another would be to shake-up the playing roster.

But the best option, McGregor explained, was for the entire club to bind together and try and fight their way out of a bad situation.

It’s this kind of leadership that underlines why the Dragons players are now being forced to defend their head coach.

Like most NRL coaches, McGregor is a workaholic who routinely punches out 14-hour days at the coal face.

Tuesday’s board meeting is by no means an exercise designed to sharpen the knives on the Dragons head coach.

Of course football department performances will be the main ticket item but there is no incognito witch hunt to try and torpedo McGregor.




https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/ap...r/news-story/be870cd888217440a8c8b85b9e17dc79


Sounds to me the board are embarrassed and looking to defend their critical error. How about they offer a decent candidate an offer they can't refuse? That's how you get it done.
 

redandwhite4evr

Juniors
Messages
1,932
I nearly sprayed my drink all over the room when I heard that. 14 coaches considered huh? And they picked McGregor. Well the dictionary definitions for incompetent and stupid have just been updated. That’s incredible. Unbelievable. You can’t make this stuff up.

On NRL 360, the word interviewed was actually used in relation to the 14 coaches- probably doesn't matter- if the SGI Board thinks that Mary is better than ANY group of 14 coaches of any code in Australia, they are even more delusional than we thought they were when Mary was extended.

We have effectively replaced the Panthers as the laughing stock of Australian Rugby League- they couldn't keep a coach, we can't get rid of one.
 

redandwhite4evr

Juniors
Messages
1,932
Revealed: Red V considered FOURTEEN other coaches before re-signing McGregor




St George Illawarra powerbrokers considered 14 coaching options before rewarding Paul McGregor with a two-year contract extension in April.

Names like Geoff Toovey, Anthony Griffin, Trent Barrett, Jason Ryles and Adam O’Brien were all considered prior to the board rubberstamping McGregor’s tenure until the end of 2021.

With only two victories from their last 11 matches, you’ll be hard pressed finding a Dragons supporter who isn’t currently calling for Mary to be axed.




So why did the Dragons board opt to extend McGregor’s deal to make him the longest-serving St George Illawarra coach in the history of the joint venture?

There’s a variety of reasons.

One of the most obvious is McGregor’s unwavering loyalty to the Red V’s playing roster despite this season’s poor results.

“Leave my players alone,” is a line the Dragons coach routinely defers to.

Just look at the Ben Hunt situation. While most experts have panned the Dragons $1 million halfback missing the must-win game against the Panthers last Friday, McGregor has repeatedly gone into bat for him.

MORE NRL NEWS

TEAM TIPS: Every NRL club’s team news ahead of Round 19

WHAT’S DOING? Walters stunned by ‘strange’ rest, says Hunt was ‘beat up’ in Origin

SACK HIM? Coyne’s ARLC fate to be decided next week

There’s also the fact McGregor has been a key influence in building the Dragons roster since taking the reins as head coach in mid-2014.

Along with director of recruitment and pathways Ian Millward, Mary has been a major influence on building the Red V roster.

And at the start of this season, most experts had them pegged as at least a top eight if not a top four list.

Rewind back to 2016 when the Dragons had an average season before announcing an all-encompassing football department review.

There were rumblings about a divide between McGregor and the Dragons playing group and there were some genuine issues there.


The Dragons then implemented some major changes to the way the football department operated.

The result was McGregor continuing to evolve as a coach to the point where the Dragons were considered one of the better teams last year with one of the NRL’s stronger rosters.

Sure this year has been a car crash and there’s an array of wide-ranging reasons as to why it’s gone so pear-shaped.

In the Dragons dressing room after the lame second half against the Panthers, Red V captain Cameron McInnes let the playing group know in no uncertain who was responsible for the poor performance.



McGregor then stepped to the fore and explained how there was a couple of roads the Dragons powerbrokers could decide to explore from here.


One option would be to get rid of him as coach, which doesn’t seem to make sense since they only re-signed him in April until the end of 2021.

Another would be to shake-up the playing roster.

But the best option, McGregor explained, was for the entire club to bind together and try and fight their way out of a bad situation.

It’s this kind of leadership that underlines why the Dragons players are now being forced to defend their head coach.

Like most NRL coaches, McGregor is a workaholic who routinely punches out 14-hour days at the coal face.

Tuesday’s board meeting is by no means an exercise designed to sharpen the knives on the Dragons head coach.

Of course football department performances will be the main ticket item but there is no incognito witch hunt to try and torpedo McGregor.




https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/ap...r/news-story/be870cd888217440a8c8b85b9e17dc79
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Soward wants full review into Dragons
  • National Sport News
    r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

    Jamie Soward has stuck the boot into the Dragons, saying the club needs a top-to-toe evaluation.
    Struggling St George Illawarra's impending review needs to be a top-to-toe analysis of the NRL club, former playmaker Jamie Soward believes.

    The Dragons board is set to meet on Tuesday to begin a review of their 2019 season.

    The Dragons were thumped 40-18 by Penrith on Friday - a result that leaves them 14th on the ladder with just six wins.

    Dragons chief executive Brian Johnston has said the future of coach Paul McGregor won't be up for discussion as part of the review, but Soward feels every aspect of the club should be put under the microscope.

    "The Dragons are a mess. It hurts me to say this ... they're just in a shambles," Soward told Macquarie Sports Radio.

    "The internal review needs to go through the whole club from top to bottom regardless of your position."

    A premiership winner with the Dragons in 2010, Soward fell out with then coach Steve Price in 2013 and left the club before finishing his NRL career at Penrith.

    The Dragons have endured a season which began with Jack De Belin being stood down under the NRL's 'no-fault' policy before captain Gareth Widdop was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

    Despite those woes, Soward said there's no doubt the team shouldn't be scrapping at the bottom of the ladder with strugglers like Gold Coast.

    "The Dragons have got a roster at the moment that should be a top four team - a top five team at worst - and they haven't been able to put the results on," Soward said.

    "The thing for Dragons fans is, they haven't got any big recruits coming next year, this is their team next year.

    "There's been some guys there that have been re-signed, held on to and put in the team that haven't improved. That's why they're currently 14th.

    "They're in real danger of the Titans just jagging one or two games after some stars get rested going in and the Dragons not going well and they're in a fight for the spoon."

    Australian Associated Press



    https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6285628/soward-wants-full-review-into-dragons/?cs=13069


Jamie Soward .. " THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE...LEGEND "
 

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
6,323
Just watching couple of Fox shows NrL tonight, NRL360 and sports news etc and whilst they say theres big rumblings down Wollongong way they still generally will not lay the blame with McGregor but more so with the players .......
Look most supporters on this forum and Dragon fans in general would have to be naive and stupid if we just laid all of the blame with our imposter of a coach....we get that...but what we do understand is this bloke has had almost 6 years to improve and get us back up to where it is an acceptable position in the game.....he hasnt done that....yes we havnt had the best season in 2019 re injuries suspensions etc but we have had seasons where injuries and disruptions were very minimal and still we faided at the pointy end of the business....when the players arnt responding to the coach (or its staff) for mine thats when you've lost the dressing room..and a good example imo is Hunt not playing in a vital crunch game last week.....I dont give a stuff how tired he was or what rep games hes just played in when your team is on wood like we are you drag yourself up and give it your all.....can you imagine Tommy Raudonikus, Billy Smith or in today's era Jonathon Thurston or the likes confiding with the coach and saying sorry I'm tired I need the week off and the coach agreeing to it .....McGregors had more than a fair go to the right the ship and hes failed....now its our turn as supporters to get our go....in ending the media can gloss over it all they like the bloke just hasnt got it never will...if they cant see that then maybe they shouldn't be covering Rugby League in their role as journalists.
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,401
On NRL 360, the word interviewed was actually used in relation to the 14 coaches- probably doesn't matter- if the SGI Board thinks that Mary is better than ANY group of 14 coaches of any code in Australia, they are even more delusional than we thought they were when Mary was extended.

We have effectively replaced the Panthers as the laughing stock of Australian Rugby League- they couldn't keep a coach, we can't get rid of one.
I laughed when I read the article that Geoff Toovey was one considered, because on NRL 360 and Controversey Corner he had the blank look of "Well Who...not me"
 

St Hope

Juniors
Messages
76
Revealed: Red V considered FOURTEEN other coaches before re-signing McGregor




St George Illawarra powerbrokers considered 14 coaching options before rewarding Paul McGregor with a two-year contract extension in April.

Names like Geoff Toovey, Anthony Griffin, Trent Barrett, Jason Ryles and Adam O’Brien were all considered prior to the board rubberstamping McGregor’s tenure until the end of 2021.

With only two victories from their last 11 matches, you’ll be hard pressed finding a Dragons supporter who isn’t currently calling for Mary to be axed.




So why did the Dragons board opt to extend McGregor’s deal to make him the longest-serving St George Illawarra coach in the history of the joint venture?

There’s a variety of reasons.

One of the most obvious is McGregor’s unwavering loyalty to the Red V’s playing roster despite this season’s poor results.

“Leave my players alone,” is a line the Dragons coach routinely defers to.

Just look at the Ben Hunt situation. While most experts have panned the Dragons $1 million halfback missing the must-win game against the Panthers last Friday, McGregor has repeatedly gone into bat for him.

MORE NRL NEWS

TEAM TIPS: Every NRL club’s team news ahead of Round 19

WHAT’S DOING? Walters stunned by ‘strange’ rest, says Hunt was ‘beat up’ in Origin

SACK HIM? Coyne’s ARLC fate to be decided next week

There’s also the fact McGregor has been a key influence in building the Dragons roster since taking the reins as head coach in mid-2014.

Along with director of recruitment and pathways Ian Millward, Mary has been a major influence on building the Red V roster.

And at the start of this season, most experts had them pegged as at least a top eight if not a top four list.

Rewind back to 2016 when the Dragons had an average season before announcing an all-encompassing football department review.

There were rumblings about a divide between McGregor and the Dragons playing group and there were some genuine issues there.


The Dragons then implemented some major changes to the way the football department operated.

The result was McGregor continuing to evolve as a coach to the point where the Dragons were considered one of the better teams last year with one of the NRL’s stronger rosters.

Sure this year has been a car crash and there’s an array of wide-ranging reasons as to why it’s gone so pear-shaped.

In the Dragons dressing room after the lame second half against the Panthers, Red V captain Cameron McInnes let the playing group know in no uncertain who was responsible for the poor performance.



McGregor then stepped to the fore and explained how there was a couple of roads the Dragons powerbrokers could decide to explore from here.


One option would be to get rid of him as coach, which doesn’t seem to make sense since they only re-signed him in April until the end of 2021.

Another would be to shake-up the playing roster.

But the best option, McGregor explained, was for the entire club to bind together and try and fight their way out of a bad situation.

It’s this kind of leadership that underlines why the Dragons players are now being forced to defend their head coach.

Like most NRL coaches, McGregor is a workaholic who routinely punches out 14-hour days at the coal face.

Tuesday’s board meeting is by no means an exercise designed to sharpen the knives on the Dragons head coach.

Of course football department performances will be the main ticket item but there is no incognito witch hunt to try and torpedo McGregor.




https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/ap...r/news-story/be870cd888217440a8c8b85b9e17dc79
Seems funny that when the article says Mary steps to the fore the 3 options quoted involve him keeping his job
1 because he was re-signed for 2 years
2 shake up player roster (Coach would presumably do this)
3 fight their way out ,again saving his bacon

As for list of coaches, They make a list they check it twice , it's the much under rated Santa Clause method mainly used in off season.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
4,205
According to an article I read this morning the Dragons interviewed 14 coaches before giving McGregor an extension. Can you believe it he was the best of 14, what were they smoking?
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,978
According to an article I read this morning the Dragons interviewed 14 coaches before giving McGregor an extension. Can you believe it he was the best of 14, what were they smoking?
The problem with these front line journos as they are conveniently asking people on the board that will talk to them and feed them anything to deflect and run with it. And the sane journo said somewhere else that they considered 14 others not intyerviewed. It is spin and a deflection to appease the fans and some in the media like Sowie who are being up front and telling it like it is and not hiding behind a curtain.
It was Weidler again last night said he "spoke to a few people at the club", which people Danny?..and trotted out the whole DeBelin excuse was a bigger distraction that some people realise.

Then Gould again "his safe" and went on to say they mismanaged DeBelin situation saying he should of been not allowed to stay with them to give them hope of playing and all this festering the pressure value has exploded and their gone.
And now Gould understands why we have fade outs each year. The club did not think and needs to plan better for their travel to training and game days as 1/2 the boys live north of Cronulla and 1/2 south in Wollongong?...Those guys in Cronulla etc are not the only NRL players from other clubs who also travel.
Cmon Gus who fed you that one!..Mark Coyne your neighbour, Mary?
 

DF4E

Juniors
Messages
39
Just read an article on nine.com where it quoted Weidler and Gould re the dragons season. They blamed the clubs handling of the DeBelin situation and then went on to say that our fade outs in the second half of the season each year are probably because our players have to travel to training and games each week. That the club should have been looking at doing something about it to minimise the players fatigue, there was a mention about the assistant coaches being in the firing line come a review. I don’t believe these guys, they are willing to look like fools just to protect McGregor. Even if travelling to training and games was an issue, which is BS, wouldn’t that be something the coach should be identifying and trying to fix. It has become a joke how everything and everyone is to blame except McGregor. If this review comes to nothing I am done giving this club one more cent.
 

merahputih

Juniors
Messages
922
Just read an article on nine.com where it quoted Weidler and Gould re the dragons season. They blamed the clubs handling of the DeBelin situation and then went on to say that our fade outs in the second half of the season each year are probably because our players have to travel to training and games each week. That the club should have been looking at doing something about it to minimise the players fatigue, there was a mention about the assistant coaches being in the firing line come a review. I don’t believe these guys, they are willing to look like fools just to protect McGregor. Even if travelling to training and games was an issue, which is BS, wouldn’t that be something the coach should be identifying and trying to fix. It has become a joke how everything and everyone is to blame except McGregor. If this review comes to nothing I am done giving this club one more cent.
Agree DF4E.I wonder if Mick Cronin, the legendary Australian and Eels centre reads this stuff? He would be laughing his head off. Mick used to travel from Gerringong to Parramatta for training and games while having a full time job helping to run the Gerringong Pub. What is so exhausting for a super fit young athlete to drive a modern car for 1.5 to 2 hours? Mary's bulletproof status can't last forever.
 

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
6,323
Just read an article on nine.com where it quoted Weidler and Gould re the dragons season. They blamed the clubs handling of the DeBelin situation and then went on to say that our fade outs in the second half of the season each year are probably because our players have to travel to training and games each week. That the club should have been looking at doing something about it to minimise the players fatigue, there was a mention about the assistant coaches being in the firing line come a review. I don’t believe these guys, they are willing to look like fools just to protect McGregor. Even if travelling to training and games was an issue, which is BS, wouldn’t that be something the coach should be identifying and trying to fix. It has become a joke how everything and everyone is to blame except McGregor. If this review comes to nothing I am done giving this club one more cent.
What a load of crap..if it wasn't serious it would be laughable...players having fatigue because they have to travel to training...my god Ive heard it all now.....back in my time most players all had jobs, and I don't mean cushy ones...lot of players were brickies labourers, roof tilers,and garbos etc…..back when I worked in The Shire in the workshop we had players that would play Sunday arvo then go back to the club mingle with supporters have a drink then go home and get up at 4am report for work between 4.30 and 5 then run their guts out on the garbage run (and there wernt wheelie bins they lifted each can and threw it into the back of the truck).... or others would work on a concrete mixer all day before going to training....in todays game these blokes get up go to a recovery session in a heated pool then hop onto the massage table where their rubbed down and someone puts talcum powder on their arse...Im not for one minute suggesting we need to return to those days but players today are on big coin and are elite athletes with all the bells and whistles training facilities .....and as for the Debelin situation yes we have missed him that's a given but to suggest its a distraction and part of the blame for our abysmal seasons is crap..... if anything if there was any moral fibre amongst our group of coaches, players or whoever they would have lifted and dealt with the situation not used it as an excuse...end of
 
Last edited:

AnonymousLurker

Juniors
Messages
1,923
Wow I have never seen a more concerted effort by the media to back a coach. Does he have something on all of them or he best buds with them all .
They have used the excuses
- the players
- de Belin
- injuries
- the supporters
Now the travelling

Wow just wow
 

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