Dugan found himself at odds with recruitment chief Ian Millward over his market worth and best position, with the Test and Origin centre stating that he saw himself as a fullback at club level.

McGregor played Dugan at fullback for the Dragons’ opening 12 games before injury forced his shift to the centres for the final five games of the season.

The 27-year-old ultimately knocked back a three-year offer from the Dragons to link with Cronulla on a four-year deal  – ironically, debuting in the centres last week. 

Dugan’s departure was also clouded by the controversy that followed the Dragons’ round 25 clash with the Panthers last year, where he was stood down by McGregor after missing the team bus.

The tumultuous 2017 adds spice to his first clash against his former club on Thursday, but McGregor is adamant that Dugan left on the best of terms.

“It’s what happens in professional sport, players change clubs, coaches change positions,” McGregor said.

“As a professional sportsman you feel you know you’re own worth.

“With Josh, he felt he required a certain amount of money that they didn’t come to terms with and he moved to a club where he got what he needed.

“I wish him all the best, just not [on Thursday] night. He was very good for us for a number of years so he’s going to enjoy playing against his old teammates and old coach.

“We just need to make sure that his night’s not a good one.”

Dugan was named in the No. 3 on Tuesday but coach Shane Flanagan said he and Holmes will spend time at the back as he looks to cover the loss of young flyer Sione Katoa.

‘‘They’ll share the role tomorrow,’’ Flanagan said.

‘‘I think it will work well. We did it in the trials so it’s nothing new.

“Duges is a big body and we don’t expect him to play 80 minutes at the level I want him to play tomorrow at fullback.

“There is a lot of work to be done there. It gives me the opportunity to flip him onto the centre and my centre onto the wing. We will go from there.’’

Flanagan is not short on options to fill he No. 1 with new acquisition Trent Hodkinson also named in the squad of 21 and long-time Panthers fullback Matt Moylan more than adept at the back.

It’s a lot to ponder but McGregor said he hasn’t wasted energy on the Sharks fullback merry-go-round in the lead-up to Thursday’s local derby.

“Both [Holmes and Dugan] are very good players, they’re very similar players, they like to run the footy more,” McGregor said.

“They both run the ball with a lot of ammunition, they’ve got size, they’ve got speed. 

“They’re both talented players whatever position they play.

“Selection of other teams is for other coaches. It’s not really my concern right now. I’ve just got to make sure we prepare our boys the best we can.

“They’ll do what they do to win the game and we’ll do what we do to win the game. Whoever is at fullback we need to do a job on them.”