League legends Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns have identified two head coach targets they think the Dragons should chase to drag the embattled merger club out of the NRL muck.
St George Illawarra is on the hunt for its fifth head coach since Wayne Bennett left the Red V in 2012, having delivered them a premiership two years earlier.
Steve Price, Paul McGregor, Anthony Griffin, and Shane Flanagan have all failed to see out their contracts since, while Ryan Carr and Dean Young have served stints as interim head coach.
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Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has emerged as a candidate, having worked with Roosters boss Trent Robinson in recent years following a long career in rugby union.
“The Dragons, for quite a while now, have not performed very well,” Fittler said on Nine’s Freddy and the Eighth.
Kyle Flanagan (right) of the Dragons and teammates look dejected. Getty
“Obviously Dean Young is an ex local, Ben Hornby is the other name being touted, he’s the favourite to get the position.
“There are a few others – Trent Barrett, the ex Dragon, I always thought he would be suited to coaching that team.
“The other one that keeps popping up is Michael Cheika. Very untried, but if you think about the politics that go on between Illawarra and St George, I feel like Cheika is the type of personality that would be able to handle that.
“He knows well and truly what goes on in those situations. A very strong character, strong personality, so I wouldn’t be scared to throw his name in there.”
Cheika has long voiced his desire to coach a rugby league team, although would be a gamble given he’s never had a head coaching role in the NRL before. The former Wallabies coach is currently a senior assistant at the Roosters, working under Trent Robinson.
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Trent Robinson and Michael Cheika during a joint training session between the Waratahs and the Sydney Roosters in 2014. Getty
Johns wants the Dragons to look at former Eels coach Brad Arthur, who was in charge of Parramatta for 10 years and took the team to a grand final in 2022.
Since being dumped in 2024 he has been coaching Leeds in England’s Super League.
Johns believes Arthur, like Cheika, would be able to coach the Dragons despite any drama at board level.
The Dragons previously had a selection panel in place, which picked the NRL team each week rather than head coach McGregor.
“Maybe it’s not the coach who needs working on,” Johns said.
“Maybe it’s behind the scenes… have a look at the whole club, the recruitment hasn’t been up to scratch.
“You need someone to stand up to the board. You hear stories about Paul McGregor when he was there, and he had great success, but he didn’t pick the team. He had people from the board… mate, stay in your lane.
Former Eels coach Brad Arthur. SMH
“Do you think the coach goes into board meetings and makes decisions on the board? No. Why should board members have the right to go and tell the coach who to pick.
“Someone strong would be Brad Arthur, like Wayne Bennett. Imagine if the board members came down to Wayne… for mine Brad Arthur is the answer.
“He rebuilt Parramatta, they were coming last when he got there and he took them to a grand final. He’s coaching Leeds at the moment, they are leading the Super League.
“Really experienced, he knows how to rebuild a club, he will stand up to people within the club, strong personality. I think he’s the one.”
Young has been installed for his second stint as interim head coach of the Dragons.
His first move in charge was to sensationally dismiss fellow assistant coach Michael Ennis on Tuesday, who was considered a candidate to land the full-time position next year.
They take on the Roosters on Anzac Day.