DRAGONS coach Paul McGregor has left the door open for Josh Dugan’s return to the centres after the representative campaign.
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Dugan has been named at right centre for Australia next week and is expected to play the same position for NSW in the State of Origin campaign.
However, the Dragons failed experiment to have Dugan shift there in the NRL, with Kurt Mann at fullback, lasted just two weeks.
McGregor said he is prepared to entertain the idea of Dugan’s centres move, but said he needed an “exceptional” alternative at fullback.
“There’s always the temptation there,” he said.
“He’s so good at it, but you’ve got to have the right person at your club to play one (fullback) as well.
“He’s a 200m gain runner at the back, someone will need to be exceptional to make that change, or injuries at certain stages of the club’s year to determine who plays where or when.”
St George Illawarra missed out on premiership-winning North Queensland fullback Lachlan Coote’s signature, after the 26-year-old signed a lucrative new deal with the Cowboys on Wednesday.
Adam Quinlan has previously played fullback for the Dragons, while Kurt Mann is named the centres for the Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup.
Darius Boyd was named Australian fullback for the Newcastle Test against New Zealand next week, with Greg Inglis and Dugan in the centres.
Dugan played at fullback for NSW last year, but is likely to shift to the centres for NSW, with Coote or James Tedesco the leading Blues contenders.
The Dragons have clawed their way to ninth on the ladder with a 4-4 record, despite a scoring average of less than 10 points per game.
McGregor believes the Dragons are well placed to launch a finals runs, having lost to the top four teams on the NRL ladder – the Broncos, Cowboys, Storm and Sharks.
After their trip to New Zealand to play the Warriors on Sunday, the Dragons furthest trek is to Newcastle.
Content with the progress of Gareth Widdop and Josh McCrone as a halves combination, McGregor will stay patient with Benji Marshall’s fitness.
Marshall has missed the past three rounds with a hamstring problem.
“It’s a good headache to have,” McGregor said of Marshall’s return.
“Josh has been involved in our four wins, but you’ve got Benji to come into the side, it’s a blessing. I’d like to see (Marshall) get through a full week of training without any hindrance. If he’s not 100 per cent, there’s no way he’ll take the field.”
McGregor said defence would remain their priority, even though they are the only team yet to score 100 points this season and have a points differential of -81.
“Our identity is not attack, it’s our defence and it’s going to stay like that while ever I’m here,” he said.
“We have to be at the right end of the field, if you don’t build pressure, you’re not going to score any points.
“Benji is not going to help that unless we play with composure.”