ST GEORGE Illawarra is fighting an internal crisis with up to eight players caught up in the club’s salary cap drama.

The Dragons are between $500,000 and $600,000 over their cap for next season with management attempting to offload and restructure the club’s playing roster.

The Daily Telegraph can today reveal the full list of players under the pump at the joint venture club.

REVIEW: DRAGONS FACE THE FIGHT

Moves to shift players are causing angst in the playing group although club officials have no choice but to be ruthless.

media_camera The Dragons have denied Josh Dugan has been asked to take a pay cut.

Players are restless but coach Paul McGregor, known to be an uncompromising leader, is determined to implement his own squad.

And McGregor knows the club needs change, having won 43 of 98 games since the 2010 grand final for a modest success rate of just 43.8 per cent.

Recruitment guru Peter Mulholland is currently sifting through the mess.

The Daily Telegraph understands:

• Blues forward Trent Merrin comes off contract after next season and is seeking a better deal. The Sydney Roosters have expressed preliminary interest for 2016.

media_camera Dragon's Jason Nightingale contests a bomb against the Titans. Picture Gregg Porteous

• Fullback Gerard Beale looks like being off-loaded to Gold Coast Titans.

• Winger Jason Nightingale comes off after next year, his future also uncertain. There has been talk about Super League.

• Centre Dylan Farrell could be moving to Cronulla although he hasn’t found a new club just yet.

• Forward Jack Stockwell looks set to sign with either Manly or Newcastle.

• Star winger Brett Morris is certain to leave and, most probably, sign with Canterbury.

• There is talk prop Dan Hunt has been granted permission to talk with other clubs but he looks set to stay at the club.

media_camera Brett Morris is set to leave the Dragons to link up with the Bulldogs. Pic Darren England

• Fullback Adam Quinlan may be looking, with the club’s permission, for another club.

There was talk NSW back Josh Dugan may be asked to take a pay cut through a third party agreement but this has been denied by his management.

Dragons management want to copy Penrith, who cut loose star player Luke Lewis, Lachlan Coote, Michael Jennings and Michael Gordon due to salary cap pressure.

The Panthers have since become competitive again.

One source close to the Dragons said: “’Mary’ (McGregor) wants his own side. He wants to reshape the roster. And he has no choice. The club is way over the salary cap.”

Mulholland did not return calls on Monday.

media_camera Dragon's Joel Thompson backflip on a Raiders deal added further pressure on the club’s salary cap. .Picture Gregg Porteous

The issues at Saints arose when forward Joel Thompson backflipped on a deal to return to Canberra. The club used that money to sign Benji Marshall midway through last season for about $600,000 a season.

The Dragons will return to training next week.

The TAB has St George Illawarra as a $23 chance to win next year’s title.