NRL 2017: Dragons in no hurry to extend coach Paul McGregor despite flying start to season

ST GEORGE Illawarra boss Peter Doust insists the club aren’t in a hurry to extend the contract of coach Paul McGregor despite the Dragons’ lofty position at the top of the NRL ladder.

Paul McGregor remains the only coach without a deal next season. pic Mark Evans

ST GEORGE Illawarra boss Peter Doust insists the club aren’t in a hurry to extend the contract of coach Paul McGregor despite the Dragons’ lofty position at the top of the NRL ladder.

McGregor remains the only coach without a deal beyond this season following Canterbury’s re-signing of Des Hasler and the Wests Tigers’ shock axing of Jason Taylor and subsequent appointment of Ivan Cleary.

Widely considered as wooden spoon contenders in the summer, McGregor has the Dragons on track for a strong year after inspiring his outfit to its best start in the post-Wayne Bennett era.

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But while players, led by skipper Gareth Widdop, have urged the club to reward their mentor with a new deal, Doust is adamant the club won’t be rushed into an agreement.

“It is a decision for the Dragons board and there is no set time frame,” Doust told AAP.

Widdop praised McGregor for being open to changing the team’s attack over the pre-season after his rigid style netted the Dragons just 341 points last year, only ahead of Newcastle.

Through the opening six games in 2017, the Red V has a league-high 163 points.

“Mary’s pretty open and we sat down as a leadership group, and had a good conversation about where we want to go and move forward,”

Widdop said. “Everyone bought into that, including Mary, and we’re all on the same page.

“We knew last year wasn’t good enough and we needed to change it. The leaders and Mary got together, sat down and come up with who we wanted to be as a team and what to do.”

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Star forward Tyson Frizell was another who is a big fan of the coach after breaking into the NSW State of Origin and Australian teams under his guidance.

Frizell, who last year re-signed until the end of 2020, wants to continue under the current coach.

“I’d love to see Mary hang around. I’ve played some of my best footy under Mary and grown as a player ever since he’s been in the role,” he said.

“As a playing group, we respect Mary a lot. If we can put performances and show how much work he does behind the scenes, hopefully the club will move quick to give him another deal.”

DRAGONS’ OPENING SIX ROUNDS IN POST-BENNETT ERA

2011: Five wins, one loss (Bennett); finished 5th

2012: Three wins, three losses (Steven Price); finished 9th

2013: Three wins, three losses (Steven Price); finished 14th

2014: Three wins, three losses (Steven Price); finished 11th

2015: Four wins, two losses (McGregor); finished 8th

2016: Two wins, four losses (McGregor); finished 11th

2017: Five wins, one loss (McGregor), currently first.

Originally published as NRL 2017: Dragons in no hurry to extend coach Paul McGregor despite flying start to season