Former St George Illawarra Dragons head coach Paul McGregor has become the first person to publically admit that he would be interested in the Parramatta Eels head coaching role for next season.
After Brad Arthur was fired on Monday afternoon, the position of head coach at the Eels is currently vacant. Several coaches have been connected to the team in recent days.
The team now has to look at other possibilities for the head coaching position after reaffirming on Tuesday that they intended to hire Wayne Bennett.
Trent Barrett, the assistant coach, will assume temporary charge in the meantime and take on his first test this weekend against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Paul McGregor, who last held an NRL coaching position in 2020, indicated to The Sydney Morning Herald that he might be open to joining the Parramatta Eels as head coach.
With his declaration, McGregor becomes the first person to openly declare his interest in the top coaching position at the Eels for the 2025 NRL season.
He declared, “I’m still passionate about coaching, and I’d be happy to talk to the club if they’re interested.”
A former NSW Blues and Kangaroos centre in his playing days, McGregor’s coaching career began in 2009 with the Western Suburbs Red Devils in the Illawarra Rugby League competition before moving into an assistant role with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Following Steve Price’s departure, he was handed the head coaching reins at the Dragons in 2014 and remained there until the 2020 NRL season before being terminated.
His tenure at the club saw him coach 151 matches with a 46 per cent winning percentage – winning 70 games and losing 81.
Since his departure as the Dragons boss, he would go on to be an assistant for the NSW Blues and was even a consultant at the Parramatta Eels under Brad Arthur during the 2022 season, in which they made the Grand Final.
It’s known that he gets along well with veteran players like Junior Paulo, Mitchell Moses, and Clinton Gutherson, which could be useful if he gets the position.
It’s known that he gets along well with veteran players like Junior Paulo, Mitchell Moses, and Clinton Gutherson, which could be useful if he gets the position.
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