This was published 8 years ago
Mark Coyne returns, Paul McGregor to survive following Dragons review
By Adrian Proszenko
Mark Coyne will return to the Dragons as part of a football performance committee tasked with getting the underperforming club back on track.
Former Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney FC CEO Dirk Melton has led a full review of St George Illawarra after a disappointing end to their premiership campaign in which they missed out on the finals. The result, following interviews with every player and staff member, is the formation of a football performance committee. Dragons legend Coyne, Melton, sports scientist Dr Craig Duncan, CEO Peter Doust, board members Graham Gulloch and Brian Johnston and NSWIS high performance director Clare Prideaux are all a part of the new initiative.
Mark Coyne in his playing days at St George Illawarra. Credit: Orlando Chiodo
The move effectively ensures coach Paul McGregor will see out the final year of his contract and is given the resources and help required to push the Red V back up the ladder.
Dr Duncan has contributed to the drought-breaking NSW Origin win of 2014 and the the Asian Champions League victory of the Western Sydney Wanderers, while Prideaux also brings a different sporting perspective to the group. However, the biggest name is Coyne, the Queensland and Australian representative who spent over a decade at the Dragons. The 49-year-old is an astute businessman and one of the Dragons' favourite sons, making 222 appearances in the Red V during an illustrious career.
Doust commissioned the review and engaged Melton, who is a senior lecturer in the school of exercise science at the Australian Catholic University to undertake it. Melton, a former general manager of strategy and community affairs at the NSWRL, assessed every aspect of the Dragons organisation after a disappointing premiership campaign.
"I don't like to use the term review … it's more about learning and development," Melton said.
"We want to to build capabilities and ensure we have the right mix of skills looking at the football department.
"Coaching development is arguably the most important thing for any professional sports franchise.
"And if you only focus in players from a physical perspective then the players aren't going to be balanced.
"It's the balanced player who can put all of their focus into game day that will perform at their optimum."
McGregor has been under pressure after a disappointing campaign that resulted in an 11th-placed finish. However, Melton said it was important to provide support for all of the club's clipboard holders and encourage their professional development.
"Obviously last season things didn't go how all expected or would have liked and it's not responsible to cut him at the nose," Melton said.
"What is responsible from an organisation going about its business in the right way is providing the coaching staff with appropriate inputs and support.
"The cost of turning over the coach and the entire football department that goes with it cost millions.
"You often don't just roll a coach but also the assistants, the performance staff, the footy manager - it can be up to a dozen people. It's about institutionalising some IP in the Dragons so they don't bleed money at times of change."