Paul McGregor will be given the chance to finish the job he began at St George Illawarra after being re-signed as NRL coach until the end of 2021.
In the midst of a premiership window, the Dragons on Thursday confirmed they were staying solid with McGregor with a two-year contract renewal.
“To have a good focus and purpose for the next two seasons is really comforting,” McGregor said.
“The enjoyment I get out of coaching this proud club is something I look forward to every day.
“There is still a real appreciation of what 2019 is to bring too. My players are always my first priority and their needs come before anything else.”
McGregor’s retention comes after early pressure following a drama-plagued opening two rounds. However the Saints have hit form in recent weeks, winning their last three games to re-enter the NRL’s top eight.
The popular McGregor will be confident he has the squad to strike during his next contract window, given the impending departure of Gareth Widdop has been covered by the arrival of Corey Norman.
Since taking over from Steve Price in mid-2014, McGregor has built his roster to the point where he considers it his own.
After they led the competition for the majority of 2018, the Dragons faded to finish seventh before being knocked out in the second week of the finals.
Meticulous in his approach, the Dragons coach lowered contact workloads at training this season in a bid to rectify the late-season issue.
With the bulk of his team signed until the end of next year, McGregor will now have at least two shots at the NRL premiership with his current personnel.
“Paul is a values-driven, team-first individual who is at the forefront of personal development for both he and his players,” Dragons chief executive Brian Johnston said.
“A testament of this is the number of Dragons who have achieved higher representative honours and those to have successfully debuted under Paul’s tutelage, as well as the club’s improved results in recent seasons.”
His signature will also see him become the longest-serving coach in the Dragons’ history, pre or post-merger.
McGregor has coached the Dragons in 118 games for 60 wins and should surpass Nathan Brown’s mark of 151 matches in charge of the joint-venture by the end of next year.
Roy Masters also coached the Red V for 162 games prior to the club’s merger with Illawarra – another figure McGregor should go beyond.
Illawarra Flame
Roar Rookie
I think we have to accept that the NRL competition is a multi million dollar professional sport, not a park footy comp, where Mary had his only successes prior to his appointment. And it certainly should not be an Old Boy's Club. He was a great player at the highest level but his coaching record does not stand up to scrutiny: five and a half seasons with a couple of scrambles into the eight, a perceived reluctance to bring through promising juniors in favor of senior but mediocre players, constant problems with defensive structures and player burn outs at the end of the season, etc. Compared to the more successful coaches like Robinson, etc he lacks a credible cv in that he has never done an apprenticeship under a leading coach like Bellamy or Bennett, or as far as I know tried to broaden his knowledge, like Bellamy for instance, who has gone on study tours overseas to examine training techniques in both League and other sports to broaden his knowledge. First Grade Rugby League is not the place for training wheel coaches.
Clanger McClunk
Guest
Being a Saints supporter I have mixed feelings on this. The season second half flop is still a worry but at least the players know who will be the coach for the foreseeable future, which will influence who comes to the club. Let's hope the board made the right decision. Only time will tell.
Pedro the Saint
Roar Rookie
Happy to read it and here's why. Coaching NRL teams has so many variables. Players. Performance staff. Injuries. Recruitment. Scandals. Contract issues and salary caps. The coach (Mary) has had enormous pressure to build a team with the above mentioned and also learn the trade. Hes made mistakes.. we all do. How ever if you've ever been in any team where there is an underlying uncertainty about who's coaching next week.. next season etc I can tell you that all it does is breed contempt. I'm glad hes on board. We have 15 other teams to beat this year some of them twice and we only have 3 so far... GOOD LUCK MARY.
Emcie
Roar Guru
of course they have...
Charles NSW
Guest
Great to see the Dragons give one of their own club man an opportunity to further their coaching career. Well done Paul McGregor!
cobba
Guest
Banter club
Wayne Turner
Guest
The NRL and so many of the clubs: All about who you are mates with,rather than merit. More inbred than guests on the old Jerry Springer show. What has Mary achieved? Oh no. The last time the bad management of my Dragons re-signed Mary far too early in a season,the Dragons go on a bad losing streak. Here comes the Dragons losing streak..........
Paul
Roar Guru
does he still have a few faces to slap in Newcastle? After this decision, it wouldn't surprise at all to see Brown come back to the Dragons if he does no good at the Knights. Obviously a favourite son trumps being able to coach a team to a premiership.
watda
Guest
To all you dragon supporters, look on the bright side. Nathan Brown won't be back to coach soon...
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
This defies all logic. 1. He has yet to prove that he can manage the mid season crash that has repeated over the last few years. 2. there is hardly a rush for his signature elsewhere. 3. the biggest improvement with Dragons (as stated above) has come from a settled 'spine' as a result of injury NOT a coaching epiphany. 4. Dragons need to demonstrate improved tactical smarts in general play - ie. not predictable one-outs and one of the worst defending the 'play-the-ball' in the comp. Opposition dummy halves make cheap mileage every game. 5. One would think he should pass through the Anzac Day challenge before being taken seriously for a new contract. 6. because it's a dumb move
Paul
Roar Guru
Such a bad move. There can be NO justification for making this decision after 5 rounds of the current season. Mary has to prove to everyone, Board, players & fans, he has fixed the issues that have dogged the Dragons over the past few seasons, the main one being the late season meltdown. If the same thing happens this year, what does he care? He's been signed up for another 2 seasons. Totally ridiculous
At work
Roar Rookie
Seriously what is wrong with my club. Please explain what Mary has achieved to warrant an early extension to his contract, and please tell the fans which other clubs were trying to sign him (if any)? This is almost as bad as the Doggies extending Dean Pay's contract, hahahaha
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Talk about odd timing.... Were other clubs queuing up to sign Paul McGregor and steel him from the Dragons?
Rob
Guest
Very strange move by the Dragons. The man has achieved nothing and the only reason they seem to be improving now is cause of Widdop's injury.