Former St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor is set to re-join the coaching ranks as part of Brad Fittler's New South Wales Blues staff.
McGregor will take the assistant coach role vacated by Craig Fitzgibbon, who is the incoming head coach at the Cronulla Sharks for 2022.
Danny Buderus and Greg Alexander will continue to round out the support staff for Fittler, who will attempt to back up a stunning Origin series victory this season with a New South Wales team who put on record scorelines across the first two games of the series.
That followed a horrid 2020 series where a Wayne Bennett-inspired Queensland triumphed with the most unlikely of Origin victories, despite being labelled by some as "the worst Origin team ever."
McGregor is a former New South Wales player himself and was see to coach the under-19 Blues earlier this year before the game was cancelled due to COVID.
The former Dragons mentor hasn't scored another job since he was let go by the Dragons in the middle of 2020 with the Red V slumping near the bottom of the table during the back-end of his tenure.
He finished up with 151 games in charge of the Dragons, winning 70.
McGregor said it would be an honour to join the New South Wales coaching staff in a statement provided by the NSWRL.
“It’s a huge honour, after representing the Blues right through the 90s as a player and now to be on the coaching staff … I have a lot of gratitude and appreciation around that," McGregor said.
“I have a lot of passion for the game and perseverance as well. I believe I have gained 'Freddy’s' trust and earned his loyalty over time. In his first year coaching the Blues (2018) he took a lot of my (Dragons) players into the series and they won.
“It’s important to me to influence his vision on the team and I will do that with purpose."
Fittler said McGregor will fit in perfectly.
“Obviously it is disappointing to lose Craig Fitzgibbon, who made such a valuable contribution to our group over the past three years, but to replace him with someone of the calibre and experience of Paul McGregor is outstanding,” Fittler said.
“I have been fortunate to have played with 'Mary' and roomed with him during the early 90s playing State of Origin and he will fit perfectly within the culture of our group, as well as adding immense value in what he can bring as an astute coach.
“He is really passionate about the game and NSW.”
The ex-Dragons boss will begin duties with New South Wales ahead of the 2022 Origin series.