Paul McGregor has four games to save his Dragons career
While the Dragons’ board gave a public display of support for Paul McGregor, behind closed doors they issued the under-fire coach a grim ultimatum.
Dragons
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dragons. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Paul McGregor is far from safe at St George Illawarra — he has just four more matches to turn the club’s fortunes around or he risks being dismissed.
McGregor received the backing – or at the very least a stay of execution – from the St George Illawarra board.
While publicly McGregor was given unwavering support, privately the board has agreed to give the coach a reprieve for another month.
Not even a win against arch rivals Cronulla on Sunday night can guarantee McGregor’s long-term future but a victory will keep some of the heat off.
Get your sport fix on Kayo ahead of live games returning soon - classic match replays, documentaries and the latest news & announcements. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
After the Sharks the Dragons play the Titans before back-to-back matches against last year’s grand finalists – the Roosters and Canberra.
By then McGregor’s fate will be decided and the decision to keep or sack the coach will be clear well before the board next meets next month.
Any termination will force the Dragons to pay $700,000 for the final year of McGregor’s deal. The Dragons board also determined despite the significant financial cost they do have the resources to pay out the coach if needed.
If McGregor is sacked he would be the second coach in the joint-venture’s history to be shown the door with more than a year left on their contract.
Not since Andrew Farrar was axed at the end of 2002 has a coach left the club with significant time left on their contract.
Other joint-venture coaches David Waite and Steve Price left the club mid-season but in the same year their respective contracts ended.
While some predicted the hastily convened phone hook-up between the Dragons board would spell the end of McGregor’s seven-year stint in charge of the club, it was intended to do the exact opposite.
The public show of support where chairman Andrew Gordon said the club “stands by our people when under pressure” was designed to take heat off the coach and clear up any uncertainty.
Tuesday morning’s meeting was the first time the board discussed McGregor’s future at length. It is the same faith McGregor has shown with his squad in recent weeks, refusing to axe some of his high-paid but underperforming players.
The Dragons board is made up of four St George members and four WIN representatives which includes a Steelers member. While under the club’s constitution there needs to be unanimous support to appoint a coach it is not needed to axe one although it is understood the board will want to be unanimous before sacking McGregor.
Dean Young would assume the role as interim coach for at least the rest of the season should McGregor be axed.
McGregor’s hopes of survival were dealt a further blow with NSW back-rower Tariq Sims (wrist) will miss up to six weeks while Brayden Wiliame (calf) is also out of the side to play the Sharks.
Euan Aitken has been named in the centres and Matt Dufty on the bench. Tyrell Fuimaono replaced Sims.
Originally published as Paul McGregor has four games to save his Dragons career