PAUL McGregor is officially Josh Dugan’s No.1 supporter in his bid to tie down the Dragons fullback spot, putting the pair at odds with the club’s long term recruitment strategy.

Dugan has been at his damaging best in St. George Illawarra’s surprise jump to third on the ladder, ranking second himself in the NRL for tackle busts, his haul of 30 behind only Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma (35) after four games.

He’s done so despite stop-start contract negotiations around a $2.2 million, three-year extension with the club.

The Dragons deal — which had a previous deadline pushed back out of good faith last fortnight — is contingent on Dugan switching to centre, and would make the NSW and Kangaroos rep the highest paid three-quarter in the game.

Round 19

But it is still almost $1 million short of what Dugan is asking for as an elite fullback, prompting he and his management to sound out NRL rivals and overseas rugby options.

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Dugan’s numbers from the Dragons 26-12 thumping of the Warriors — one try, nine tackle busts, 211 running metres from 16 carries and a couple of try-saving defensive efforts — certainly don’t hinder his argument.

McGregor trialled Dugan in the frontline for most of the 2016 summer before Dugan’s centre experiment went belly up two games into last season, and his coach has well and truly moved on from the idea.

“I don’t want him to go to centre,” McGregor said after the Dragons third win from four games.

“I have never said I want him to go to centre.

“He is at fullback now and he is staying there. I am here at the moment and he’s playing fullback for us. He’s the best fullback in the club.”

McGregor is no longer calling the shots when it comes to the Red V’s recruitment and retention after admitting he tried to wear too many hats in a disastrous 2016 campaign.

Those calls now lie with a team headed up by director of pathways Ian Millward, and he has made it clear he sees Dugan’s 102 kilo frame as too big for fullback in the modern game.

On the back of Ben Hunt’s arrival on big money in 2018, Millward has openly discussed the possibility of shifting halves Gareth Widdop and Jai Field to fullback.

Big things are also expected of NSW under 20s custodian Matt Dufty, while rumours have also done the rounds of late that the Dragons could go large in pursuit of a marquee No.1.

The dialogue hardly points to Dugan getting his way, but McGregor’s jovial offerings when asked on Sunday come from a good place.

Most punters and pundits had the Dragons running last or near enough in 2017, and McGregor out the door long before season’s end.

But after four weeks the Saints have three wins in the bag and are the first side past the post for 100 points scored — more crucial figures for a coach well aware he’s off-contract, even if he can’t afford to focus on it.

Asked if keeping Dugan at centre was his long term plan, McGregor laughed.

“I’m only short term mate. I’m only coaching in ‘17 so that’s all I’m worried about.

“ ... I’m enjoying what I’m doing and what the players are bringing and I’ll worry about the rest of that stuff at a later date.”

Then the follow-up about wanting to turn his ‘short-term’ stay into a long haul.

“Of course. I enjoy coaching and I love this club so certainly,” McGregor said.

“But I’m not looking for a contract right now. I am just looking to get to work tomorrow and work hard through the week and getting the boys to perform on the weekend.

“That is all I am after.”

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