ST GEORGE Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has described Friday’s clash with the Warriors in New Zealand as “all or nothing” as his side looks to halt a three-game losing streak.
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The Dragons haven’t recorded two competition points since defeating the Cowboys 28-22 at home in round seven and dropped out of the top four for the first time this season in going down 18-14 to Cronulla last week.
They will again have to deal with the absence of their two biggest stars in Gareth Widdop and Josh Dugan but – with a bye to follow Friday’s match in Waikato – McGregor said it’s imperative his side rights the ship.
“I spoke to the boys about the fact it’s a big game for us,” McGregor said.
“With the bye next week and with the [possible] four-point turn, with the rest and we get a few players back in the near future. We would’ve have liked to get a few results in the last couple of weeks so that’s put us back a bit.
“[Friday] night’s all or nothing and we need to go out there with that attitude and that intent and have really good on-field aggression in how we play because that’s who we are.
“We know how important this next month of footy is and it be nice to into the bye comfortable that all the hard work’s paid off and we can enjoy that week off.”
Two of the three losses have come in games that went down to the wire and, a poor first half against Melbourne in round nine aside, McGregor has found little cause for concern in his side's performances.
“We all worry about the wins and losses, I understand that, but it’s about process,” McGregor said.
“Certainly two out of those three games we could have won, but we didn’t, and what’s important is how we fix that. In two of the three games we went in winning at halftime so it’s about playing out the 80 minutes because I know our attitude has been great.
“Our prep’s been good, we’ve had the full week here which we haven’t had in the past couple.
“We’re missing a couple of key people and that happens throughout the year.
“We’ve got to overcome that and the main thing for us is that we play a really tough 80 minutes of footy.”