With four losses in four games spread over three months in the middle of a pandemic, the St George Illawarra Dragons have again reached a crisis point in their history.
Coach Paul McGregor is in the firing line and within the sight of the media wolves. The question that remains though is can anyone else who is available do a better job than the current coach?
Over the 20 years that the joint venture has been playing in the NRL, the Dragons have generally under-performed with the rosters they have had.
Two grand final appearances in that time, for one victory under Wayne Bennett in 2010, is endemic of that feeling.
Apart from Bennett, other Dragons coaches have had squads that on paper look to be good enough to fight for premierships but have failed to live up to that reputation.
McGregor himself has now been the head coach for seven years and been in charge of teams that have variously been labelled as an attacking team that can’t defend, or a defensive team that cannot score.
Whichever way the team has performed in that season, the changes made for the following season still seem to not keep their detractors happy not be able to deliver results for an entire season that reflect the best that the players involved can offer.
Even last season, when McGregor was re-signed on a new multi-year deal, the results and performance of the side didn’t seem to justify that occurring, especially given that no one felt that the coach was going to be pilfered by another club prior to the end of the season.
It appeared a strange decision to make, and results leading into the end of 2019 appeared to confirm that the decision to re-sign him had actually just left the club with no room to manoeuvre.
Dragons coach Paul McGregor needs to shake his team selections up. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
Certainly questions can be asked about player recruitment in recent times, and whether or not those in charge of this aspect have been on the same page as the coach and his staff.
Players with undoubted ability but perhaps questionable temperament have been signed to long-term and somewhat pricey deals, and those players just aren’t living up to their reputations. Whether that is a player failing or a coach failing or a combination of the two, at the moment the team is suffering because of it.
It feels like McGregor has been under pressure from fans and the media for the entirety of his time as head coach of the Dragons.
This is partly because there is always high expectations of the Dragons brand to be making finals and winning premierships, and to a certain extent this is true, but the further into his coaching reign we have moved the pressure for success has increased.
And the current climate is not improving for him.
The Dragons should have won their first two games before the suspension of the competition, and had they done this then no doubt we would just be in ‘business as usual’ mode. But the loss of those two games along with the two poor defeats on return to New Zealand and Canterbury has left McGregor’s position in major peril.
While the pressure to sack him will be relentless from the media over the next week, is there any coach available currently who could honestly hope to do better with the current Dragons roster?
Shane Flanagan, who is assistant coach, is banned from holding the head coach’s role, so if McGregor is to be replaced they will have to hire a new person – and that coach will have to work with the same players who are currently not performing for McGregor.
For many reasons they will be on a hiding to nothing. And that begs the question as to whether the Dragons are better off sticking with McGregor for 2020 and give themselves a chance for a fresh slate in 2021, rather than bring in a new coach now and have them struggle with the same problems that already exist within the playing squad.
Logic suggests McGregor will be gone within weeks if not days, but whether that will actually improve the Dragons outlook for 2020 has to be considered seriously unlikely.
Paul
Roar Guru
I was going on reports I've seen or read in recent weeks, Christopher. All suggest the Dragons don't have the cash to pay out MacGregor's contract and buy another decent coach. If they do but aren't using that through frugality, I suggest they might want to rethink their strategy. Money's going to be tight over the next few years and both the public & sponsors will vote with their wallets if the team doesn't improve significantly. They might save money in the short term by keeping him on, but it could cost the Club dearly in the long term.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
didn't think of him, but his heart is in QLD.
Christopher Wright
Guest
danwain. This has been the downfall of the club. Jai Field, Patrick Herbert, Reuben Garrick, Reece Robson, Luciano Leilua. Now Jason Saab and Matt Dufty may be going. The recruitment of players like Corey Norman, Ben Hunt and then the attempted signing of Mose Suli are not the players who are going to win you premierships. They both are players who are the iceing on thecake so to speak. if they are in a good team like the Roosters they will add a lot. But they are not ones to build around. Players who will do the hard yards when the going is tough. The club needs to identify some young talent like Tristan Sailor, Adam Clune (sort of young) and build around them. Add players like Chris Lawrence, Alex Johnstone, Blake Green, Jerome Hughes, Ryan James and they will develop.
Christopher Wright
Guest
Paul, I would take you to task about lack of money. It was mentioned in the media that the Dragons have been frugal in their spending. This is not for the want of money. Last year the Dragons along with only a couple of other clubs broke even, all the rest lost loads of money. The Dragons have the money, they are just not wanting to make the losses the other clubs do.
danwain
Roar Rookie
The thing that frustrates me more than the performances, is the fact these young guys don't get a proper crack, while the established players are getting picked despite form. The cupboard is hardly bare for the Dragons, there are some quality young guys that he could start blooding and showing some faith in. But, the simple fact is that he is constantly trying to save his job, so he can't trust any kids to do the job for him. As long as he is there, the club will be treading water, and possibly losing some of these young guys to other clubs willing to take a punt on them. Saab is about to go to the Storm, Robson has shown what he can do at the cowboys (I understand McInnes was not going to be replaced, but surely he was a better option than Luke going forward). Lomax trained all off season at fullback, had a great game in a trial which had McGregor telling all and sundry he was his fullback, only to shift him to the wing after one poor game, and then move him to the centres the game after, what is that going to do for a 19 year old kid?
BustlingBillDunn
Roar Rookie
What would Kevin Walters asking price be? Is he out of the Dragon's league price wise?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
If they do sack him who do they replace him with? Another Dragons old boy with no proven coaching experience?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I agree Paul. If a team isn't going to in the comp I believe it can be very useful for players to learn how to attack and chance their arm. This comes in handy when the players in any given team are part of the future and need to be able to score tries. Grinding it out defensively without any joy in attack leads to a dark place like Haslers Bulldogs were in a few years back.
Paul
Roar Guru
A story just appeared on the NRL website about an emergency Dragons Board meeting in 30 minutes.
Paul
Roar Guru
Sorry Duncan, I thought you were following on from Bill's comments about the Dragons potential wins this year. For me, this side's being sliding for 12 months, not 4 games.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think the first 2 guys you named are carrying some baggage, DP. Not saying they might not be able to do a job, but are they a good fit, right now, for a side that's in mental meltdown? The Walker brothers might be an option, but only because I reckon the Dragons need a complete rethink about how they play the game. I'd be throwing caution to the wind and telling them to attack at every opportunity, which fits better with the Walker bros, than Toovey or Griffin. Sure the side might still lose, but we both know throwing the ball around and having fun on the footy field is great for morale and confidence, which are the two things the squad's lacking right now. I'd rather see them go down 42 - 32, than score a lousy 2 points in 160 minutes of footy.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
My comment wasn't really serious. McGregor should go now. But maybe Flanagan will just coach from behind the scenes instead.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Hook is around and along with Tooves has a point to prove I think. And the Walker bros would love the opportunity. Flanno has hardly made a great impact. The three above are serious options or appoint a caretaker and pick up Wayne next year.
Paul
Roar Guru
Bill, the two issues the Dragons have are a) a lack of money to pay out MacGregor and sign a new coach and b) a lack of quality coaching alternatives. I think a really good coach would not see themselves as being thrown under a bus, but would relish the challenge of doing something with a squad that's full of very talented players. The problem is, there are lots of okay to poor coaches out there, but few really good ones and they're all happily coaching other teams. At some point the Board will have to decide whether a full season of losses is sustainable, especially if sponsors start making noises. The Dragons also won't have to worry about fans not obeying social distancing when they're allowed back into games. I suspect most will not be turning up, if things continue as they are.
Paul
Roar Guru
From memory, they're 4 and 22 in the past 26 rounds, Duncan. That's simply not good enough.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
Wait til they 0-7, then consider it.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think the main reason for not sacking McGregor immediately is that you’re throwing a potential candidate to the wolves taking over this dumpster fire...let McGregor see out this season and give the new man a chance at a full off season
Soda
Roar Rookie
Dragons roster has no cohesion, coach McGregors chop-and-change approach to player selection as well as rigid game plans have cruelled them. He seems to be trying to fit square blocks in round holes and hasn't been able to adapt his strategy to suit the game or his roster. I do genuinely believe that removing Mary will loosen up the team. It's been a lot of thorns for not many roses under Mary.
max power
Guest
go back and look at the results of the last 20 years. whilst maybe under performing, the last 18 months have been diabolical and way below the average