Dragons coach Paul McGregor will be under pressure early this season. Credit:Robert Peet And it will begin in Wollongong Local Court on February 3 when star forward Jack de Belin stands trial on serious sexual assault charges. He has pleaded not guilty and the trial is expected to last two weeks. Last year the de Belin scandal derailed the Dragons’ season. The club and players stood by their man, believing he would be able to play despite such serious charges hanging over his head. The NRL introduced the "no-fault" stand-down rule, but de Belin challenged the rule in the Federal Court. Such was the club’s confidence that he would win the case, they fully expected him to join them in Mudgee for the round 10 clash against the Knights. When he lost, the players wanted to boycott the match. In the end they played and were belted 45-12. After that they spiralled out of control, avoiding the spoon only because the Titans were even worse.

The club just couldn’t see the obvious. It believed de Belin, like every member of society, was innocent until proven guilty. But the NRL was never going to allow him to play – until the matter was heard in court. Hence the stand-down rule, which allowed the presumption of innocence to exist despite a workplace suspension. To that end, the Dragons, and the players, were poorly advised and the wounds self-inflicted. Jack de Belin leaves Wollongong Local Court in July. Credit:AAP There will be no such de Belin excuses this year. The case will be over, either way, before the start of the season, the court having done the club a massive favour by bringing the matter forward a few weeks.

Try getting that favour done for you if you’re Joe Blow. The case somewhat shielded coach Paul McGregor last season. It gave him and club honchos an out. On the field things didn't pan out. Ben Hunt didn't do what they needed week to week. Corey Norman likewise. McGregor had no idea what to do with Matt Dufty – and still doesn’t. Trent Merrin returns and the only other big signing is Issac Luke to provide cover at hooker. Surely the pack will fire? Merrin and Luke are internationals and join Australia, England and Origin stars Tyson Frizell, Tariq Sims, Paul Vaughan and James Graham.

To have such talent on the books and finish second-last is appalling. McGregor and the club’s hierarchy have become lightning rods for the Dragons' long-suffering fans. It was a dismal season for the Dragons on and off the field. Credit:Getty Chief executive Peter “Oust” Doust left at the end of 2018 after an 18-year reign. An expensive "international" search for a new boss unearthed the club’s very own chairman, Brian Johnston. But Johnston lasted a solitary season, and the search is on again. He’ll stay until the de Belin court case is heard. There was confusion when one of Johnston’s first acts was to grant McGregor a two-year extension to his coaching contract. This happened after round five when there wasn’t a lot to show for his efforts since taking the job in 2014 after Steve Price was sacked – and there wasn’t a line-up of clubs trying to pinch him.