Dragons on brink of nailing new coach plan

The Dragons may have landed on a perfect long-term coaching strategy by pairing Anthony Griffin with Dean Young, NSW Origin boss Brad Fittler says.

Former Broncos and Panthers coach Griffin is the front-runner to replace Paul McGregor at St George Illawarra, where Young is currently acting as caretaker.

Young is a 2010 Dragons premiership hero with designs on a coaching career, yet is still just 36.

St George Illawarra look intent on signing an experienced coach rather than a first-timer, having been through turbulent eras with the likes of McGregor, Steve Price and Nathan Brown.

Fittler told Wide World of Sports that forming a succession plan from Griffin to Young would be ideal for the Dragons.

"It was interesting Dean Young came out and gave praise to Anthony Griffin," Fittler said on Freddy and the Eighth.

"Dean Young's obviously pushing for the job as well. Whether Dean Young believes that because there's some players in the Dragons at the moment that he has a pretty close association [with], maybe he feels like waiting a few more years might be a good idea.

"I think that gives your club real stability, if he has a relationship with the coach coming in and he's your long-term coach, then that makes real sense. Not many clubs have long-term strategies.

"That is a pretty good long-term strategy, especially if one of the coaches gives praise to the other bloke coming in and then he sits back and learns some more over a couple of years. To me, it makes sense."

Fittler said that employing tried and tested methods with Griffin could help the Dragons.

"They might need that, he's old-school," Fittler said.

"He says it as it is, he doesn't take many things personally. He just says whether you're going good or bad and what you're doing right and wrong. He's not complicated.

"Maybe they need a bit of that, they need a bit of honesty."

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has strongly advocated for Roosters assistant and former Dragons player Craig Fitzgibbon to get the job.

Yet he said that a plan to eventually pass the reins to Young was also a sound move.

"I think it's a big ask for a rookie coach, for Dean Young," Johns said on Freddy and the Eighth.

"I think in time, he'll be a sensational NRL coach. I just think it's dangerous ground to have a coach who has played with some players [still in the team]."

Fittler, who experienced that scenario whole coaching the Roosters, replied: "It definitely makes it tricky."

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