Source: Dragons Media Release

Retired Steelers and Dragons international centre Paul McGregor will return to the St George Illawarra NRL team when 2003 season training resumes on Monday … as part of the off-field team.

Wollongong-based McGregor, 34, joins the Dragons new, innovative young coaching staff - spearheaded by former teammate Nathan Brown, 29 - in the role of assistant strength and conditioning coach.

McGregor's appointment completes a star-studded coaching line-up, with Brown to be supported by former Dragons forward David Barnhill, 33, as assistant coach, and former Australian captain Laurie Daley, 32, who has been appointed as a consultant in coaching.

"It's a very exciting time," said McGregor. "I've been very fortunate to be given the opportunity to be part of the exciting new direction that the Dragons Board has decided to take.

"I'm really looking forward to the challenge and I'm thrilled to have the chance to give something back to something that has given me so much."

The former Dragons captain retired at the end of the 2001 season after eight years with the Steelers and three years with the Dragons, accumulating 228 points (57 tries) from 158 first grade games (124 Steelers, 34 Dragons).

In his year away from the NRL, McGregor gained various fitness and coaching qualifications and played a season of premiership-winning local football with Dapto for his best mate David Walsh.

"Rugby league has been my whole life so when I retired I still wanted to be involved with the club in some way," McGregor said. "But I needed to have 12 months away from it and I feel ready now - I've got the playing out of my system.

"I don't feel ready to be a coach yet, but I wanted to give something back of what I have learnt over the years to the top 25 players. Being involved in the strength and conditioning program allows me to do that."

McGregor has been involved with planning sessions with the coaching staff over the past two weeks in the lead-up to 2003 season training kicking off next week. *
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* The first training session with the new coaching staff has been scheduled to take place at WIN Stadium on Nov 11th.
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