As a rugby league fan, it’s very easy to get carried away when the game I enjoy returns to action after such a long break, but Round 3 produced some terrific action.
Sure there were some blowouts, yes some teams looked a tad underdone on the fitness front, but by and large there was great commitment and intensity from all teams, bar one. I sadly refer to the (once) mighty St George Illawarra Dragons.
It doesn’t matter that they lost this game. If they’d been beaten by a better team after giving it absolutely everything, then that’s fair enough, but they were beaten, once again, by a team who cared more, who showed more passion, who played with more desire and who simply wanted to win.
The Warriors wanted to win far more than the 17 blokes wearing the Red V.
The Dragons are no different from any other team in the competition. All have had significant time away from the game, yet every other side went out and tried their best. In some games, that might have only been for 60 minutes, but during that time, there was lots of intensity.
It was clear that guys were super happy to be back playing and keen to get stuck in.
I don’t care about the dropped passes, I don’t care about the missed tackles, not sticking to the game plan or the other errors in a game. As long as my team is playing with passion and desire, these other aspects can be sorted out.
Unfortunately, the Dragons have been missing these key ingredients for the best part of 12 months and judging by the body language and comments from Paul McGregor in his post-match press conference, he recognises that, but isn’t in any position to do anything about it.
The following are a sample of his words straight after the game:
“Attitude is a by-product of belief”
“Passion has to come from within”, “It’s a by-product of success”, “We’ve got to find it”
“The intensity we trained at isn’t transferring to the football field on game day”.
“The passion, excitement and competitiveness needs to be there”
McGregor is right, passion, etc comes from within each player, but as a coach and a leader the team looks to, he must help bring that out. The problem seems to be that he doesn’t know how to do it.
His comment about the intensity of training versus the game day experience is instructive. Assuming he’s right, it shows the squad has the footy skills and knows what it needs to do for 80 minutes on game day, but is not buying into the system or perhaps, is not buying into Paul McGregor, the coach.
It’s hard to have faith in a bloke who has coached the team from regularly making the finals a few years ago, to losing 20 games in the past 12 months and challenging the Titans for the wooden spoon – again.
A further comment from that conference should send even more alarm bells for Dragons fans. McGregor was asked whether he felt his job was under pressure and he responded in part “I’m three games into a two-year contract”.
That’s an appalling answer. Here’s a guy who has coached a team into a bottom two spot on the ladder, thinking his job’s safe because he has a contract.
I guess that means it doesn’t matter if the Dragons don’t win another game this season. McGregor is safe because of an extension to a contract, that should never have been signed last year.
I’ll leave this article with a final McGregor quote, “I have a team I believe in”. You may well do Paul, but do the team believe in you?
GenEnright
Roar Rookie
Hi Paul, Thanks forthe reference, I watched the interview on 'Inside the NRL.' Chammas and Soward made the point that there were 5 Origin players in the roster, but they either don't like the game plan or weren't playing to it. Oh, and potentially beating the Sharks or Dogs was not a benchmark :silly: I guess the benefit of cutting loose early is that there is more certainty for signing for 2021, as in the 'rebuild' can begin sooner rather than later. Maybe this isn't a premiership year for the Dragons, but they can look to improve their standings for 2021 with a new coach.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
In the past, maybe not. But he's made a good call this time. Comes the time people need to let go of the demons they pin to him.
peeeko
Roar Guru
i wouldnt use the decision making of Moses Suli as the basis for any argument
Larry1950
Guest
You're being a bit generous to the broncos in that assessment, I get that the ref made life hard by being the first to pull the 'six again' pin twice in the eels first possession set but they looked uninspiring. The new rule has got rave reviews but I think it's got scope for refs to influence games with less scrutiny applied. That's scary when we know there are ego's & bias in that ref's dressing shed.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Gen There's an interview on the NRL website with Michael Chammas & Jamie Soward, talking about this very issue. Apart from their comments, there are scenes from the game on the weekend and the facial expressions and body language of the Dragons players is appalling. I don't think there's any "good"time to sack a coach,certainly not during the season, but this is not a 3 game situation, but has been ongoing for the best part of 25 rounds. I worry how long it will take the next person to lift the everyone out of the mental funk they're in at present. Not only the players but the support staff as well. I think there's little choice but to cut him lose asap. We will probably still end up having a crappy season, but as I said in the article, I don't mind that if everyone's giving it their best.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Proven by Suli, who won't touch Dragons now.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
LOL... what a dilemma. If Foran plays it might be a moot point.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Dragons gave it a good shot for a few seasons but those regular fade outs would sap the confidence of any club. Self belief vanished a couple of years ago. The only way forward is a big clean out and a change of coach because a layer of moss has been growing over the players and it can't be shrugged off without drastic action. Manly has only got a few players left from a few years back and many of the players moved on were only new themselves. It was recognised that the players on board were not going to lead the club anywhere great and the chainsaw came out and ran amok. At the moment you would have to have a few rocks in your head to sign for the Saints.
Phil
Roar Rookie
Paul, what you say is on the button, McGregor has failed as a coach but has the "answers" at the pressers. What I have noticed over the last couple of years is that players go backwards under McGregor. I wrote on another page that he coaches the talent right out of players. Like Aitken, as DPS said here, was almost a sky blue. When Lafai came to Saints he was a good solid first grader. Norman is, sorry, was a talent, Hunt a rep player as was James Graham. They all appear to have lost their respective talents. Lomax was an outstanding prospect, now a dud. Dufty has the talent but can't use it. Frizell said it all when signing with Newcastle, saying he wanted to win a comp. Young Jayden Sullivan, Tristan Sailor, Jason Saab are potential first graders but McGregor will only retard their ability, as he doesn't have the ability to do what a coach must do and that is bring the best out of his charges. He has produced compelling evidence to deserve sacking but Saints being Saints, he will be safe. If only the board after their next meeting issues a statement saying "McGregor has the full support of management," then we will know he's gone.
GenEnright
Roar Rookie
Hi Paul, Would you have preferred McGregor be on the same contract as Nathan Brown was in June 2018? At least it would be performance based, but then in his situation leaving in August with the season remaining could be jarring for the players? I agree though, the attitude of my 'contract says I'm here til x' is a bit presumptious!
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Next Monday should be interesting Paul. If the media’s to be believed both McGregor and Dean Pay are in a battle for their coaching careers and, from what I’ve seen on supporter forums, many Bulldog fans are hoping St George give the Dogs a hiding (to rid Pay) and Dragon supporters are hoping for the opposite (to rid McGregor). May the least worst team win! ;)
Nick
Roar Guru
As I posted yesterday in another article...this is one instance where it's not all his fault (that's not to say he shouldn't be sacked. He needs to be sacked by this afternoon). But, he's actually unable to make sweeping changes. Some of his worst performing players are his most paid players (Hunt, Norman, Graham, Frizzell) and chew up a lot of the cap. He can't put a third of the salary cap in the stands. It would be obscenely irresponsible financially to do so. No, he's stuck with these non performers for the time being. A new coach might be able to extract a better performance out of them.
Paul
Roar Guru
MacGregor talked briefly about other players possibly being considered for next round but interestingly, not one of the guys you mentioned was included in that comment. He also seemed reluctant to make changes, saying he wanted to look at the match again. I'm not sure why, blind Freddy could see the team never got out of first gear and needs a shake up.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
You're right, some players need to go, however, put their lack of development also at Mary's feet. Lomax is one (potentially) of the best young centres in the game and a few years ago Aitken was in line for SOO with Mitchell. You'd think that as a top flight centre himself, Mary could develop these guys. Also, Dufty may just need an attitude adjustment - he is an awesome talent and needs the right support. He'd shine under the right coach. The big cancer that seems to have developed over the years is akin to familiarity. From the whispers I hear and the actions I observe, Mary is soft and matey with the older players, the ones with the reputation and big contracts and those whose voices influence the powers and drivers in the Dragon board and management. Hence his rewarding and untimely extension. ANd not encouraging or developmental for the younger guys. Robson, Garrick, Herbert, Leilua are just a portion of the young talent Dragons have happily let go to sign older guys with fading reps. Dufty and Lomax are prime examples of young blokes whose promising career has been halted by misuse of their talents.
danwain
Roar Rookie
While I agree he has to go, the team needs a clean out also. Dufty isn’t a first grader, the experiment needs to end. Aitken and Lafai aren’t NRL quality centres. I like the idea of Clune coming in and hunt coming off the bench, just give him a simple game plan. Where has Jason Saab gone, is Tristan Sailor still in the picture? Sullivan looks like he may be a star, but how is going to be brought through? Give Lomax a position and back him, he has played 3 positions in 3 games this year, you can’t expect a 20 year old finding his feet in first grade to gain any momentum if you shift him every week. I would like to see some of the youth promoted ahead of the tried and not trusted, same team is wheeled out every week and we see the same results, it’s beyond a joke.