Beleaguered St George Illawarra coach Nathan Brown led from the front yesterday.

As the pressure over his future and speculation he is set to be replaced by Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett intensifies, Brown eagerly set the agenda in front of the media.

The 34-year-old made a pre-emptive strike, saying he was only prepared to address questions focusing on the Dragons' NRL clash tomorrow night against Canberra.

But the questions about his future came anyway.

Brown, who did his best to remain upbeat and cheerful, repeatedly deflected questions centred around the idea that his time at the club may soon be up.

"There's obviously been plenty of speculation about my job," Brown said at WIN Stadium before a question had even been asked.

"The club has been going through a process now for a period of time which I've been very well informed and up to date with. So the only thing I'm interested in is talking about Canberra, which is going to be a very tough game."

The rumours persist that the Dragons board could make a decision within a month, appointing Bennett as the joint venture club's new coach from next year after Bennett's contract winds up at the Broncos at the end of the season.

The red and whites are desperate to break their premiership drought and Brown has had five seasons in charge, crashing out in the preliminary finals in 2005 and 2006.

Dragons chief executive Peter Doust, who was also at training, is believed to have compiled a short list of candidates for next season.

The list includes Bennett, Brown, St Helens coach Daniel Anderson, former Dragons player Mick Potter - now coaching French club Les Catalans - and North Queensland assistant Ian Millward, the son of Dragons board member Bob.

But it is understood Bennett is the man the Dragons want.

When asked if he had been in touch with Bennett - with whom he has a rapport - over any potential coaching deal with the club, Brown again talked about the clash in the nation's capital.

"(I've) been working very hard on Canberra this week because it's going to be a very hard game," he said.

"And I understand you've got to ask the question, but my interest is in Canberra as last week it was with the Gold Coast."

Having sidestepped another curly question, the embattled Brown was coy when asked if he had spoken to Doust about the prospect of Bennett taking over as coach.

"I speak to Peter Doust every day," he said.