Paul McGregor is reportedly under pressure to keep his job as Dragons coach beyond his side's final game against the Titans this weekend.

McGregor has coached the Dragons since 2014 and has a 47% win/loss ratio
(65 wins, 73 losses).

The Daily Telegraph's Phil Rothfield last night on NRL 360 revealed McGregor is under immense pressure from Dragons hierarchy after what was a dismal 2019.

"Paul McGregor is in big trouble to keep his job," Rothfield told NRL 360. 

"I spoke to Dragons chief executive Brian Johnston this evening and he would not confirm that his future is safe."

The club has already decided to undergo an end of season review into all facets of their football program after what was built up to be the season where they can challenge for a premiership has ended with a bottom two finish.

"A lot of people tipped St George to make the top four and some tipped them to win the premiership," he added.

"There are key power brokers at the Dragons, who now have concerns about Paul (Mary) moving forward even though in April they extended his contract by two years."

NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent agreed with Rothfield stating the end of season review doesn't sound like good news for McGregor.

"Now the moment they say there is going to be a review, the fact that they believe there is a need for a review seems to indicate there is a need for a new coach," Kent said.

A few names have already been mentioned if the Dragons and McGregor decide to part ways with Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon and former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan (who still has to be given the all clear to return) the most popular choices.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Shane Flanagan is not a Coach.

    Why do we keep talking about him as an option ? He isn’t, and why would anyone want the disgrace in their club anyway ?

  3. I agree with Rucky, not keen on Flanagan at all. Been suspended twice, drug scandal, salary cap scandals, leader of absolute faarkwits over at the Sharks.

    Yes he won a comp but geez it has a few asterisks next to it. I’d be pretty happy with Browny, Shaun Wane or We’re better than Flanno

  4. What about Toovey? At least he will add passion and belief.
    It’s not only Mary’s fault, we have a team that should be in the top 5 but when they don’t play for each other and their coach well all can see where they are on the ladder now.
    Ben Hunt and Tyson Frizzell look like they cant stand each other so there’s definitely a toxic culture at the club right now and it’s why I believe Frizzell will be with another club next season.
    The club need to find players that want to PLAY for the Red V and at the moment the likes of Aitken and Lafai don’t, move them on chase some centres a fullback and 5/8 and bring on 2020.

    Sailor looks like a star but he isn’t big enough and like Dufty gets forced back all the time.

    Cheers

  5. Cmtd,
    Toovey would be great too but I can’t see our board taking him on. I don’t think we need mass changes other that the coach. Some minor player ins and outs and we’ll be fine. There’s no need to do a Penrith and move on 22 players….

  6. The youngsters are there in Lawrie, Timm, Ford, Kerr, Host, to go with the Sims boys, Vaughn, Graham, Frizzell etc. I’d grab RCG as he’s on the outer and hopefully playing with Tariq and Korbin will get him back to a decent level. Worth a shot especially if Penrith are paying some $$$.

    Sailor, Lomax, Saab are long term and we just need 3 or 4 wingers/centres after we move on Aitken, Lafai, Maranta etc. Personally id give Dufty another season under a new coach as McGregor has absolutely killed his confidence

  9. Surely he has to go now!
    Why isn’t Griffin in the picture for any of these jobs, old school toughness is what it will take for this team to compete to the end.

  11. Not sure about Shaun Wane, he has an impressive cv in the UK and he is great at bringing the kids though (bit of a Bellamy style there). He is a Defence first coach but he is as rough as they come. Still to his credit, he did coach his team to a great win over Cronulla in the WCC, perhaps he could make it.

  12. Dare i say, James G needs to pull the pin and we have a crack at RCG or Josh Jackson (a year earlier from his contract). I feel sorry for Mary as he’s had the year from hell but he has to go. I watch Friz in the half time spray and he hardly acknowledges him. I dont think Hunt will see his contract out under Mary and we already paid for the golden goose so who’s next for the coaching role.

  13. What a champion this joke of a coach is:
    Reserve grade finish minor premiers and play their 1st final this weekend.

    So this idiot selects Sailor, Robson, Kerr and Pearson for 1st grade when they are all eligible for CC. This bloke has ZERO SHAME and it’s clear that he comes first. Just pi$$ off now you w a n k e r

  17. The Dragons made a big mistake at the start of the year by extending Mary’s coaching contract so early in the season. What has transpired since then has been a disaster, especially losing Gareth Widdop & Jack de Belin at the beginning of the season. Nobody can blame Mary for that, but I believe a lot of the players have stopped responding to Mary’s coaching, and that fact alone should have had the alarm bells ringing.
    The amount of fundamental mistakes the Dragons make on the field is bordering on embarrassing, and when I see a so called top line player like Ben Hunt making fundamental mistakes week after week I wonder where the team is headed. At times the team have looked like a group of amateurs who don’t know to play together. Bent Hunt has been a big disappointment in his two seasons at the Red V. I wouldn’t accuse him of not trying, but each time Gareth Widdop has been out Injured he has failed to step up and take control of the team, which is essential for any halfback to do if his team is going to be successful. The Dragons have to find a solution to this problem and can’t afford another 3 years of paying a player a huge amount of money and getting very little in return. I think Mary is a very decent bloke who has given his all to the coaching job, but the results are there for all to see and the Red V will not have any success while he is the coach and the club retain players who aren’t performing and pulling their weight. A clean-out is definitely needed, but one of the problems will be to attract new players who are willing to follow the coach and the club’s direction.
    Players such as Ben Hunt, Corey Norman and Paul Vaughan are senior members of the team and they will have to lift their performances considerably next year and show the way for the rest of the team. If more players showed the commitment of Cameron McInnes & James Graham I don’t think the team would be running second last.
    This is an opportunity to rebuild (again) and if the hierarchy don’t get it right this time I fear for the long-term viability and future of one Rugby Leagues most successful & proudest clubs.

  19. @Redv – Agree on the Team picked this week – picking the eyes out of the successful Reserve Grade team to try & save his own skin.

    At least Nathan Brown had the class to see what was happening & move on for the betterment of Newcastle.

    McGregor has the blinkers on with no thought to the greater good of the club.

Comments are closed.