PRESSURE is mounting on Dragons coach Paul McGregor to make next Saturday’s local derby against the Sharks Benji Marshall’s last game for the under-fire NRL club.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal there is a push coming from within St George Illawarra for McGregor to follow the lead set by Jason Taylor, and make the tough call on Marshall’s struggling career like Taylor did with Robbie Farah at the Wests Tigers.

With the Dragons now out of the running for a top-eight finish following Thursday night’s 12-8 loss to Brisbane, McGregor is being urged to consider giving both Drew Hutchison or Kurt Mann a go in the halves over the final rounds so the club can get a head start on 2017.

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The Saturday Telegraph understands McGregor is reluctant to make the change given his strong relationship with Marshall. But unless there is a dramatic form reversal by the team and the veteran half against Cronulla, Marshall will struggle to survive the rest of the year.

After missing out on signing Corey Norman, Luke Keary and Trent Hodkinson, there is a feeling within the Dragons that Hutchison and Mann deserve a chance to push their claims to be Marshall’s long-term successor.

media_camera Benji Marshall had a night to forget against the Broncos. Picture: Mark Evans

After snubbing the Dragons’ $300,000 offer that was put to him earlier in the season, The Saturday Telegraph understands there is now no chance Marshall will be at the club next year.

While the 31-year-old wants to play on, so far no rival club has put up its hand to throw Marshall a lifeline.

Marshall’s forgettable performance on Thursday night certainly won’t help his cause.

While Marshall still has McGregor’s support, the problem for the coach is that if he doesn’t make a change and the Dragons’ five-match losing run continues, it could end up being his own job on the line.

McGregor has a contract for next year but the Dragons’ inability to score points continues to place huge pressure on the head coach.

McGregor was in talks for a contract extension earlier in the year but that has now been put on hold.

media_camera Kurt Mann has a background playing in the halves.

Fans will argue skipper Gareth Widdop has been equally as disappointing. But the fact Widdop has a year to run on his contract leaves the Dragons with no ­alternative but to stick with him for now.

Marshall’s position is not nearly as secure. Hutchison, 21, is a former Junior Kangaroo and captain of the NSW under-20s team last year where he won a man of the match award.

A big body and cool under pressure, the local junior from Albion Park played two games in the NRL last year but so far this year hasn’t been spotted in the top grade.

Mann also has a background playing in the halves and was originally signed by Craig Bellamy from Newcastle under-20s to be groomed as the long-term replacement for Widdop at the Storm.