Saints are completely f**ked - McGregor sacked

[Ron's_Mate]

Dragons board showing some stoicism

 

[big hit!]

I understand someone has to come last, but the way this team plays just makes it even harder. How can someone who gets paid so much to do something they love do it so badly? It's obvious they don't enjoy the game.

Players seem to be down on confidence big time, and they're playing as individuals with no trust in their team mate.

How much can the coach do? They also have a premiership coach as an assistant! Lomax taking a decoy runner rather than sliding with the rest of his defence is amateur stuff. Middles not repeatedly sliding with the offensive numbers is park footy stuff. This is lazy. It's basic footy and guys of the ilk of Vaughan, Graham, Merrin, etc have done it before, but all of a sudden they're not.

 

[8Ball]

 

[BennyV]

Yep they just get to first grade under him and get f**ked around massively. What happened to Lomax at fullback? Didnt he train there all offseason? That is a perfect example of stuffing a player around.

I am not knocking the talent pool available to the dragons, i know the talent is there. But it isnt feeding through to the first grade team.

I actually went through this exercise in the Dragons forum recently to have a look at all the juniors that McGregor has attempted to bring through to first grade, because for mine his inability to develop players from the fringes of first grade into players is the biggest indication of his pure inability to coach footballers.
Those at the club:
- Euan Aitken - lots of first grade where he was exposed for being limited in attack and defence (lack of development) and now dropped from the starting line. Former junior kangaroo.
- Matt Dufty - dropped from first grade after 1.5 seasons where he sowed many gaps in his game (lack of development). Former NSW SOO junior and top try scorers in NYC 2 years running + top try scorer in NYC ever.
- Jacob Host - dropped from first grade. Former Junior Kangaroo.
- Jackson Ford - dropped from first grade. Former NSW Cup team of the year.
- Jason Saab - dropped from first grade. Former junior kangaroo.
- Zac Lomax - never played in the same position for more than 3 weeks in a row. Former junior kangaroo.
- Tristan Sailor - dropped from first grade. Former QLD SOO junior.
- Blake Lawrie - regular in first grade, but development has halted. Possibly the only one Mary could pin himself to, but arguable IMO. Former junior kangaroo.

If it was 1 or 2 who failed to develop, you could put it down to the player. But that’s a fairly big list of players who missed out on crucial development at an important phase of their career. Out of interest, there’s a few who’ve left due to no opportunity or not being wanted:
- Rueben Garrick - told he had no future in first grade, immediately enjoyed a breakout year at Manly. Former NSW SOO junior.
- Patrick Herbert - apparently behind an aging Nightingale and a 27 yo reserve grader in 2018. Left and getting a fair bit of first grade for Warriors (not the best choice of destination from him). Former junior kiwi.
- Reece Robson - left due to lack of opportunity and the fact that the coach couldn’t get his f**king name right. Now enjoying regular game time at Cowboys and excelling. Former junior kangaroo.
- Luciano Leilua - in and out of first grade since his debut. Now a regular at the Tigpies. Former NSW SOO junior.

He hangs his hat on the likes of Frizell, Sims, Vaughan and JDB. Vaughan and Sims were destined for SOO for years before getting to us. Friz is being held back by his complete lack of ability to develop an attacking plan involving an edge backrower running a line. So he gets JDB. Well done to him.

It’s genuinely embarrassing.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I went there for the lols but I didn't enjoy it that much. Yes there was the Chernobyl response like I expected, but it was tinged with this deep sense of infinite sadness. Some of your fellow fans sounded broken. 10 years ago your club was on top of the world. How the mighty have fallen.

Mate it’s very true. A lot of fans are going nuclear and I get it. It’s awful. I’m not as animated as many on these forums but doesn’t mean care less about my club, or accept what’s happening at the moment.

I used to turn into a mushroom cloud in the past when times were tough and we’d hit rock bottom. I wanted heads to roll, wanted blood etc. It happened a lot. Would drive me nuts, make my blood boil. Basically from 1995 to 2008 were my Hiroshima years. Apart from the amazing resurgence of the 1996 Dragons making the GF after starting the year with no coach, no sponsor and half a team. To this day that’s my favourite season of all time. And that’s a performance in the face of adversity that the current dragons team should take heed of. The whole f@@@ing club. Top to bottom.

I still appreciate those that continue to rage against the machine. I’ve walked a mile in those shoes. Know how it feels. Many have teed off at me here for whatever reason, because I have a view they don’t like. Doesn’t bother me. Everyone has a view.

Like many i can have a laugh at the Dragons but at the same time I’m sick of our club being a punchline. I don’t know when that will change. I hope sooner rather than later. I can’t go back to living in the Hiroshima years, nor be committed to the nut house (just yet).

 

[Cactus]

I think its highly likely there actually is NO Dragons board at all. This looks to me like the work of Mary himself.

 

[betcats]

I actually went through this exercise in the Dragons forum recently to have a look at all the juniors that McGregor has attempted to bring through to first grade, because for mine his inability to develop players from the fringes of first grade into players is the biggest indication of his pure inability to coach footballers.
Those at the club:
- Euan Aitken - lots of first grade where he was exposed for being limited in attack and defence (lack of development) and now dropped from the starting line. Former junior kangaroo.
- Matt Dufty - dropped from first grade after 1.5 seasons where he sowed many gaps in his game (lack of development). Former NSW SOO junior and top try scorers in NYC 2 years running + top try scorer in NYC ever.
- Jacob Host - dropped from first grade. Former Junior Kangaroo.
- Jackson Ford - dropped from first grade. Former NSW Cup team of the year.
- Jason Saab - dropped from first grade. Former junior kangaroo.
- Zac Lomax - never played in the same position for more than 3 weeks in a row. Former junior kangaroo.
- Tristan Sailor - dropped from first grade. Former QLD SOO junior.
- Blake Lawrie - regular in first grade, but development has halted. Possibly the only one Mary could pin himself to, but arguable IMO. Former junior kangaroo.

If it was 1 or 2 who failed to develop, you could put it down to the player. But that’s a fairly big list of players who missed out on crucial development at an important phase of their career. Out of interest, there’s a few who’ve left due to no opportunity or not being wanted:
- Rueben Garrick - told he had no future in first grade, immediately enjoyed a breakout year at Manly. Former NSW SOO junior.
- Patrick Herbert - apparently behind an aging Nightingale and a 27 yo reserve grader in 2018. Left and getting a fair bit of first grade for Warriors (not the best choice of destination from him). Former junior kiwi.
- Reece Robson - left due to lack of opportunity and the fact that the coach couldn’t get his f**king name right. Now enjoying regular game time at Cowboys and excelling. Former junior kangaroo.
- Luciano Leilua - in and out of first grade since his debut. Now a regular at the Tigpies. Former NSW SOO junior.

He hangs his hat on the likes of Frizell, Sims, Vaughan and JDB. Vaughan and Sims were destined for SOO for years before getting to us. Friz is being held back by his complete lack of ability to develop an attacking plan involving an edge backrower running a line. So he gets JDB. Well done to him.

It’s genuinely embarrassing.

Sums it up really.

All those junior rep players and he cant even turn them into NRL players. I follow penrith so i see plenty of kids who dont live up to their hype but if you have three or four junior kangaroos/junior origin players in the 20s you should be able to get a couple of solid NRL players out of it at least and really you'd be expecting one of them to push for senior rep honours.

Lomax is the perfect example of how not to develop a kid, debuted in 2018 and yet the last three games he has played three different positions.

 

[BennyV]

I think its highly likely there actually is NO Dragons board at all. This looks to me like the work of Mary himself.

Have you heard the merkin talk? There’s no way he wrote that press release, I didn’t see the words ‘scrimmage’ or ‘tries from kicks’ or some weird grammatical error in there.

 

[Life's Good]

I can’t fathom those giving him credit for fronting NRL360 after that loss. FFS, he’s on(depending on reports) +500k, it’s the least he can do seeing that he’s dodged heat any number of times given his ordinary coaching record.
The p*ss taking at our club continues.

 

[Reflector]

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Just came here for Dragon's fans reactions.

Mary is better at dodging bullets than Neo in the Matrix.

 

[Silent Knight]

Just came here for Dragon's fans reactions.

Mary is better at dodging bullets than Neo in the Matrix.

It's not hard when the board constantly fires blanks.

 

[84 Baby]

The board has effectively thrown the next 18 months away. I don't care about money, that is not acceptable. I feel for the fans...

The fans have to be hurting. Perhaps in some sheds somewhere

 

[muzby]

I feel the dragons weren’t completely honest in their statement.

Allow me to translate it for you all:

Dragons statement: Paul McGregor

Translation: “We just banged something together to stop the phone calls from fans & media“

Share on social media

Translation: “Please, do share this on social media. Our digi just quit after copping the brunt of fan anger & we don’t know how to FaceTok”

St George Illawarra can confirm the club's Board of Directors convened on Tuesday morning to discuss the future of coach Paul McGregor, following the Dragons' poor start to the 2020 season.

Translation: “The board were copping too much flack via sms last night from their mates”

The Dragons' board have confirmed McGregor will continue on as St George Illawarra coach.

Translation: “We realised we didn’t include a performance clause in the contract”

"Although the board acknowledges the club's performances so far throughout 2020 have been unacceptable; we will continue to support Paul, his staff and the team through these tough times," Dragons Chairman Andrew Gordon said.

Translation: “We need to show he’s been given every possible avenue of help so he can’t go us for wrongful dismissal”

"We are committed to Paul as coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons and look forward to seeing him right the wrongs of the opening month of the current campaign.

Translation: “We’re trapped & cant get rid of him. But he should win a game soon. Hopefully”

"We are a club that stands by our people when under pressure. This is a time for loyalty, strength and commitment from the players, coach, board and staff to improve."

Translation: “We believe in commitment. Unless that commitment involves our best players cutting short their contracts to go play union in France or head to the ESL”

The Dragons will be making no further comment regarding McGregor at this stage.

Translation: “Now sod off, you peasants. We’ve got whiskey to drink and cigars to smoke”

 

[Mr Angry]

Spolier alert.

The JDB thing ain't over.

Could get Trent, Nathan and Dean.

Maybe the Flanno next year.

Like the giving the lady friend mouldy flowers.

Oh Dear.

 

[SBD82]

Oh, link please. Name. Shame

https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/follow-another-team.480316/

 

[Incorrect]

I know that it didn’t translate to results in his coaching, but at least when Elliott speaks about the game you can tell he has a deep understanding of it.

Was mostly a piss take but Andrew Moore did put it to Elliott yesterday if he'd take the job if it was offered. He basically fobbed it off and made a joke of it but I suspect he'd love another go at coaching, particularly the club he played at. But he's become a bit of a punchline these days, I don't think any organisation would go down that path

 

[Fufu Andronez]

You can’t sack a bloke that watches video until 3am and then gets up at 7.30am.

I also do this. I wonder if me and Mary go to the same website for our videos..

 

[roofromoz]

I know that it didn’t translate to results in his coaching, but at least when Elliott speaks about the game you can tell he has a deep understanding of it.

You're right, I highly rate his work on the ABC.

Top bloke, shit coach though.

 

[Cactus]

Have you heard the merkin talk? There’s no way he wrote that press release, I didn’t see the words ‘scrimmage’ or ‘tries from kicks’ or some weird grammatical error in there.

Cunning ploy, no doubt about it.