Dragons coach Paul McGregor survives axe at snap board meeting

Paul McGregor will continue as St George Illawarra coach, the club backing him to ‘right the wrongs’ of their start to the season.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor could be sacked. Picture: AAP

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has survived a meeting of the club’s board on Tuesday.

The Dragons released a statement confirming they had met to discuss the future of McGregor and decided that he would continue as head coach.

“Although the board acknowledges the club’s performances so far throughout 2020 have been unacceptable; we will continue to support Paul, his staff and the team through these tough times,” Dragons chairman Andrew Gordon said.

“We are committed to Paul as coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons and look forward to seeing him right the wrongs of the opening month of the current campaign.

“We are a club that stands by our people when under pressure. This is a time for loyalty, strength and commitment from the players, coach, board and staff to improve.”

McGregor was under immense pressure heading into Monday afternoon’s game against Canterbury at Bankwest Stadium.

Another loss – their fourth in four games this season – piled pressure on the coach. A host of coaches had been linked as potential successors, among them South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett, Sydney Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon and Melbourne’s Jason Ryles, and McGregor’s own assistant Dean Young.

However, the club opted to support their coach through what they acknowledged was a difficult period.

McGregor, Dragons assistant coach Shane Flanagan and Dean Young at Bankwest Stadium on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

McGregor has another year left on his deal with the Dragons and a payout would have cost the club upwards of $1 million.

The Dragons are renowned as one of the tightest clubs in the game but money is not an issue – one owner Bruce Gordon is worth more than $700 million and the other, St George Leagues Club, has $19 million in the bank.