The Dragons look set to sink to their lowest ever position at the end of a season as a joint venture, with only the last-placed Gold Coast Titans keeping them from collecting the wooden spoon.
If you go back before the merger, this is the worst position from either part of the joint venture since the Illawarra Steelers’ wooden spoon in 1989 and the worst season for a St George team since their second-last finish in 1945.
With such a horrific campaign behind them, serious questions need to be asked about the coach – but most in the media are reticent to point out any specific problems. It is time to get serious and start asking the obvious questions, even if they might make people uncomfortable.
Why are the centres regressing under a coach that was an Australian representative centre?
Just two years ago, Euan Aitken was earmarked as a future Origin star and looking at representative honours. This year he has lost his position as a certain starter in the team and is part of a Dragons right edge that has leaked points all season, including 22 against the last-placed Titans.
Tim Lafai has scored two tries all season and the last time he crossed was in Round 5 when the Dragons thrashed the Bulldogs. Not only that, but he only has one try assist and his decision to constantly rush up in defence – combined with his poor communication to his winger – has let in countless tries.
Paul McGregor was a centre his whole career, so how can he not coach the position he is most familiar with?
Do you know that tries off kicks count for the same amount of points as every other try?
Go back and watch any Dragons post game press conference and you will likely see Paul McGregor utter the phrase “they scored X tries off kicks” as if to imply that this was somehow less of an achievement than the other tries scored.
(Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)
Yes, tries off kicks can have a bit more of an element of luck involved but you can also minimise this element by doing your job, which is preparing your defence to contain these kicks.
If your team is letting lots of tries in from kicks then you need to fix this in your pre-game preparation, especially if you identify it is a problem that has lasted all season. Pointing out that many of the tries your opposition score come off kicks does not absolve you of this mistake.
Why does every representative player in your team play worse under your coaching?
Let’s not beat around the bush: the Dragons team is stacked with representative players, including five Origin stars, two English internationals and quite a few players from the national squads of smaller countries.
This is quite possibly the most star-studded Dragons team since their 2010 premiership squad. These players can perform on the biggest stage – why can they no longer perform at a club level? The only difference in the equation is the coach and the administration.
Where is the Dragons’ attack?
In the last three weeks, the Dragons have only scored two tries that did not directly come from kicks – ironic considering Paul McGregor’s apparent disdain for this method. Only one of those two tries came from an actual structured set play: Tristan Sailor’s try on debut last weekend.
That is one try from an attacking play in 240 minutes of football in a team that includes Gareth Widdop, Ben Hunt and Cameron McInnes in playmaking roles. And even when you include tries from kicks, the team has only scored 38 points total in three weeks, less than what the Tigers put on them this very weekend.
Reports have suggested Mary is putting in long hours at work but where is this time going? Because you certainly cannot see the results of this on the field.
There are many other questions that arise when you look at the Dragons team, such as McGregor’s forward rotations, his attempt to change Tyson Frizell into a middle forward and his ad hoc method of promoting and demoting wingers every week. The Dragons got rid of Steve Price in 2014 due to poor performance but McGregor’s record is not much better.
In two and a half seasons under Steve Price, the Dragons’ average position on the ladder was roughly 11th.
Under Mary’s five and a half seasons, the Dragons’ average position is tenth.
For a coach with so many questions lingering over the team that he built, McGregor seems remarkably immune to criticism.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Poor mary. The players are just as responsible as he is, especially hunt and some of the forwards
Tony
Guest
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Exactly what I have been saying the only inclusion in this is a question for the board as to why was he's contract extented after round 5. Two of the games we won this year were by 1 point and the manly game we won on a controversial ref call. Who was chasing him to make such a rushed decision and why was there no clause about if the team does not make the 8 contract can be terminated without pay out?? The board also have alot to answer for. :angry:
Malo
Guest
A top 4 roster gets 2nd last. McGregor and his 20 year plan
Charles NSW
Guest
Wow Dragons supporters certainly have destroyed any credibility in our Dragons team they may have had. Like any other fan of course I get really frustrated more than most in what has happened to the Dragons. One of the key problems, the coach needs to select the right player who will produce maximum effort to get the job done. If they are not producing the goods outlined in discussion then allow them to show what they are made of. If no improvement bring in a junior who may be worse but at least it will instill discipline. The coach must make players earn their right to play! Instead of sacking the coach they need to to analyse what went wrong and how they are going to fix it. McGregor is one of our very own Dragons and it may be that he needs more support along the way. As a fan we do need an explanation as what McGregor felt was the issues to end up so badly
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I don't think he's overpaid that much, yet the general point here is excellent and thought provoking. Bronco's Fifita is facing the same challenge, he can get huge bucks but the more he gets, the less quality he will have around him and the more expected from him and thus more pressure. I'm sure that's part of the pitch Uncle Nic makes (along with undisclosed TPAs) to keep his roster and Sally Cap happy.
Tony
Roar Guru
We are constantly told that Rugby League is a business. If that's the case then the Dragons are failing badly and need to change what they are doing ASAP. You can't attract members and sponsors with the rubbish they've dished up over the last three months. We are also told repeatedly that NRL players are professionals. Well, there's nothing professional about the way around one third of the Dragons' squad are performing. to me, they are just going through the motions. Well let them do it somewhere else.
Tony Dreger
Guest
Most points are correct, except about Rep players not performing at club level. For this year that is correct, but besides Ben Hunt none had ever played at origin level until they come under the coaching of present coaches. Aiken was considered a rep player under the current coaches. What has happened this year is a mystery? I agree the Head Coach is gone after this performance but he had been in charge when a lot of young footballers have successfully developed.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Yep the players are not enjoying their footy and it shows ...... that means the environment is all wrong, that player selection is wrong, that the basic game plan is wrong ..... and all that comes back to the coach.
John
Guest
The only people saying Walters are the suffering QLD fans.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Had second thoughts, DPS, Bellamy could still be coaching the Storm in 5 years time, so you might well be right.
The Barry
Roar Guru
This article absolutely hit the mark dead on. McGregor’s entire coaching career has been terrible. He inherited a bit of a mess but the Dragons attack in his first 2-3 years was absolutely woeful. Slow motion second man plays 10 metres away from the defensive line. Then we had the choke era in 2017 and 18 were high quality teams got out to absolutely roaring starts and then fell in a heap. He shows reluctance to change tactics or personnel. Young players don’t develop under him. Talented players go backwards and stars look lackadaisical playing for him. Frizell had his best origin series by a mile but has looked pedestrian for the Dragons. McGregor seems determined to turn him into a middle third carthorse...I think because he doesn’t know how to utilise him properly. This year has been an absolute disaster. There’s no way this is a 15th ranked roster. He’s been a poor coach since day one and the fact his contract was extended at the start of this season is an embarrassment.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Doug, I've been a true Dragons fan for more than 40 years, but I can only buy into a coach that has answers to the issues that are ailing the Club. As it stands, Mary appears clueless and the results speak for the themselves - one win in 9 games at the back end of the season - again. If he and the Board can map out exactly what they see are the issues and how they propose to fix these, I'm happy to back him, but neither has done anything this season but make excuses and that just doesn't wash any more, not after similar things happening in previous years under his watch.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Good one mate. :thumbup: :laughing:
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Are you trying to draw a literal line through my punchline Footy 101? Besides, I already made a distinction for peach fuzz vs hard boiled egg. ;-)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I’ve had that conversation. There are people who want him gone and other very powerful buddies of his high in WIN that will stick by him. Some are using the high payout – well over a mill – as a reason to not cut him. While it’s been pointed out that there are losses elsewhere it will take the losses to exceed the payout for them to act, and it will take a lot of loss to balance out a mill$$. They will also lose some good players over all this.
Footy 101
Guest
Wayne Bennett, Premierships 92, 93, *97, 98, 2000, 2006, 2010, runner up 2015. John Lang, Premiership 2003 Madge, Premiership 2014 Toovey, runner up 2013. Don’t think hair is the issue here....
Pedro the Saint
Roar Rookie
In terms of payout i would think that the "current" contract would have performance clauses and the new contract would have a would have a subscript that outlines any type of payout. Yeh, Saints will have to consider some form of compo but they will also look at the cost of lost sponsorship and fans if they continue with the Mac.,
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Fox reporting that Mary might finally be on the way out. But I have it on good authority that they don’t want to come up with the pay-out.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
But the Dragons often start the season strong...I can easily see them winning 6 of their first 8, Scotty Pryde calling them morals on making the finals, and then losing 10 of their last 12 to finish 9th!!
MORDAC
Roar Rookie
Hunt gets plenty of criticism but almost nothing for Widdop. Lots of people were making excuses for McGregor by pointing out Widdop has been out. So as soon as Widdop is back, knucklehead puts him right back in his preferred position and see the result. This kind of attack has been the norm for the Dragons ever since Widdop arrived. Remember knucklehead blamed Benji for the attacking woes. Apparently he was screwing up Widdops game. We saw the result of that last weekend.