ST GEORGE Illawarra are poised to make a $600,000-a-season play to lure sacked Raiders fullback Josh Dugan as the Band-aid solution to their pop-gun attack. But in the ultimate insult, Dugan may reject the Red V offer in favour of greater stability at the Brisbane Broncos.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Dragons are prepared to almost match the $650,000-a-season Dugan was on at the Raiders, with chief executive Peter Doust aware the club needs a big-name signing to add a point of difference to an otherwise predictable attack.
Even if the Dragons do land Dugan's signature, there's no guarantee he can fix the litany of problems their B-grade halves pairing, Nathan Fien and Jamie Soward, have tossed up in losses to Melbourne Storm and Brisbane over the opening two rounds.
Dragons CEO Doust said yesterday: "The Dragons are always interested in quality players but we won't be commenting on speculation. We don't believe that is in anyone's best interests."
Former Dragons skipper Mark Coyne said he felt coach Steve Price's pain but warned that signing Dugan was a gamble given the sacked Raider's head space.
"I probably wouldn't go there just at the moment, I'd be a bit nervous about that. He's obviously got some issues he needs to sort out," Coyne said. "I'm sure, like Todd Carney, he'll bounce back at some stage, but the Dragons probably don't have the luxury of time."
In Brett Morris, Jason Nightingale, Chase Stanley and Matt Cooper, the Dragons are well stocked in terms of damaging outside backs.
It's the same story in a forward pack consisting of Michael Weyman, Trent Merrin, Dan Hunt and Ben Creagh, who have more than held their own to start the year.
The problem is Fien and Soward have been nowhere near flicking the switch to ignite the Dragons attack, meaning Price's hand may be forced into opting for rookie playmaker Josh Drinkwater.
With Price watching on, the former Manly under-20s halfback lined up for the Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup game against Canterbury at Leichhardt Oval yesterday.
"I feel sorry for Pricey. He's had a lot of disruptions with all the (Craig) Bellamy talk and he's paying the price for the way the salary cap has hit since the club won the premiership in 2010," Coyne said.
"He is a young coach and he's still finding his way, but he's been hamstrung in a lot of ways because he probably hasn't got the playing roster that ideally he'd like to have."
Dugan is expected to make a decision between the Dragons, Broncos or an overseas club this week. The fact St George Illawarra are prepared to take a punt on a troubled fullback with a Gen-Y attitude says everything about the crossroads the club is at right now.
