3 minute read

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor says his 2018 NRL squad is one he is finally completely happy with.

Paul McGregor finally has a squad that is truly his.

Ahead of St George Illawarra's first hit out of the NRL pre-season on Saturday night, McGregor says he has accomplished that after three-and-a-half years in the coach's chair.

Coaches often talk about the fact it takes them several years to assemble a squad that is moulded in their image and capable of playing to their game plan.

Since taking over midway through 2014, he has been slowly chipping away at recruitment, with the arrival of Ben Hunt and James Graham the final pieces of the puzzle.

"As a head coach it does take probably three years to get the roster you want, unless you inherit a very good one that are in the top four, six in the competition," McGregor said.

"We weren't that back in '14. I feel now that I've got a roster that I'm totally comfortable with.

"I think it's the best roster the club has had in my time here.

"Those nine debutants over the last two years, they're a good age, they're into their second or third pre-season along with the addition of the two internationals in Ben and James."

The 2018 pre-season has also been the club's most settled after in late 2016 sweeping a broom through his football department and coaching staff.

The Red V faithful will get a glimpse of their best 17 in Saturday's exhibition match against English Super League outfit Hull FC at ANZ Stadium, including Hunt and Graham's first hit outs for their new club.

The challenge for McGregor this year is to reduce the gap between their best and worst after suffering alarming late-season fade outs over two of the last three seasons.

Last year they led the competition after seven rounds only to finish ninth and in 2015 they were out in front after 12 rounds, but finished eighth and bombed out in the first week of the finals.

"It's a combination of things - you can't say it's one thing," McGregor said when asked what he had done to address their inconsistency.

"You've got to look at it holistically.

"The travel - the guys have got a bus now. The (Sydney-based) guys spend 12 hours in a car on a weekly basis. We talk about the travel that North Queensland and Melbourne do, they travel once every two weeks. Our guys travel 10 to 12 hours per week to and from training.

"Halfway through the year you can probably get a dip in your energy.

"Around Origin, you can be driven a little bit by self and not team, we've addressed that."