NRL: St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor defiant as the walls close in

Paul McGregor insists he is still the man for the job at St George Illawarra. He won’t walk away. Nor does he expect to be sacked.

Shellshocked Dragons players watch another game slip away, against the Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium on Monday night. Picture: AAP

Paul McGregor insists he is still the man for the job at St George Illawarra. He won’t be walking away. Nor does he expect to be sacked. He can see and feel the pressure, but fear has not entered the equation. He won’t let it.

The sense is that time is fast running out for the Dragons coach, his cause not helped by their insipid and putrid performance against Canterbury on Monday afternoon at Bankwest Stadium.

They were woeful again. It has been 81 days since they scored a try in the NRL. Nearly three hours since they crossed the stripe.

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McGregor rang the changes, but it had no effect. Seemingly, there is only one change left to make and that is with the coach.

McGregor has another year remaining on his deal, but the walls are closing in. Dragons fans were apoplectic on social media.

The club is stone motherless last. McGregor fronted NRL360 immediately after his side’s 22-2 loss to the Bulldogs and resolutely declared he was going nowhere.

He echoed those comments when he addressed the remainder of the media at his post-match press conference. “I am not scared if that is the word you are looking for,” McGregor said.

“I am an optimist. But I am a realist and I know my team is not playing well enough at the moment, and I am the coach of that.

“I have confidence and belief in my team. I am disappointed. We didn’t give ourselves a chance. Started the game OK. Just turned over possession in the wrong areas. That backs up last week’s game. It’s not good enough.”

Asked if he could understand if the Dragons board terminated his contract, McGregor said: “Our first two games we were in a winning position on both of them.

“The last two games since coming back we have been poor. If they make the decision I will understand. I will be disappointed obviously.

“Again, I understand the situation and the conversation that is around every day, which doesn’t help the team. So if that decision is made, I will wear it.”

Coach Paul McGregor insists he’s still the man to pull the Dragons out of their slump. Picture: Getty Images

A handful of coaches have already been linked with McGregor’s job. His assistant Dean Young could step in until Wayne Bennett is ready to take back the reins or Shane Flanagan is given the green light by the NRL to return to a head coaching role. .

Sydney Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon and Melbourne assistant Jason Ryles have a connection with the club from their playing days.

Warriors assistant Todd Payten and ex-Manly coach Trent Barrett, another former Dragons player, have been part of the public discussion.

Meanwhile, McGregor — a good man who is widely respected by his peers — finds himself sinking in a cesspool of social media vitriol.

“I feel a lot for him,” Canterbury coach Dean Pay said. “We have been mates for a long time and he is going through a tough time. I really feel for him.”

Ultimately, coaches are judged on results and they simply haven’t been good enough over the past 18 months.

McGregor pointed to his past success but rugby league races along, the past left behind. The current is all that matters and on that front, the Dragons are wallowing in a stench of their own making and McGregor, who signed a new deal at the start of 2019, is in the crosshairs.

“The thing is that when I did get signed it was after we were beaten in the second semi-final and we won four of our first six games,” McGregor said.

“I am still the same coach. I am just not getting the results at the moment.

“It is tough times. Just have to make sure that we perform a lot better than what we are now.

“I certainly have the backing of the players and the staff. No one from the club has come forward and said anything to me.

“I believe in the players and I have confidence in the staff. I know how hard they work during the week.”

The Dragons were never really in the contest on Monday, even though it took Canterbury 20 minutes to cross for their opening try.

The second half was worse than the first. It was painful for Dragons fans, not to mention a coach who is fighting for his career.

“I see how hard they work, the enjoyment they have around one another,” McGregor said.

“I am enthusiastic. I have the energy for what I do. I have confidence and belief in myself. I certainly have a passion for rugby league. I know I can get it done.”

As the pressure mounts on McGregor, it has eased on Pay, who was under heavy scrutiny last week after a 0-3 start to the season.