Blues unveil 'Mary' as Fitzgibbon replacement

Paul McGregor has been unveiled arsenic New South Wales' newest adjunct coach, replacing the outgoing Craig Fitzgibbon.

McGregor joins the Blues' Origin campy aft a seven-year stint arsenic the coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons, wherever helium coached the squad to 70 wins betwixt 2014 and 2020.

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The 53-year-old volition articulation Danny Buderus and Greg Alexander connected caput manager Brad Fittler's staff, with Fitzgibbon departing to statesman coaching the Cronulla Sharks successful 2022.

"It's a immense honour, aft representing the Blues close done the 90s arsenic a subordinate and present to beryllium connected the coaching unit … I person a batch of gratitude and appreciation astir that," McGregor said successful an NSWRL statement.

McGregor (R) pictured with Dragons prima Zac Lomax during his clip arsenic manager of the nine (Getty)

"I person a batch of passionateness for the crippled and perseverance arsenic well. I judge I person gained 'Freddy's' spot and earned his loyalty implicit time. In his archetypal twelvemonth coaching the Blues helium took a batch of my [Dragons] players into the bid and they won.  

"It's important to me to power his imaginativeness connected the squad and I volition bash that with purpose."

McGregor has a longtime relation with the Blues' State of Origin programme having made 14 Origin appearances arsenic a player, and Fittler said helium had a batch of admiration for his incoming assistant.

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"Obviously it is disappointing to suffer Craig Fitzgibbon, who made specified a invaluable publication to our radical implicit the past 3 years, but to regenerate him with idiosyncratic of the calibre and acquisition of Paul McGregor is outstanding," Fittler said.  

"I person been fortunate to person played with 'Mary' and roomed with him during the aboriginal 90s playing State of Origin and helium volition acceptable perfectly wrong the civilization of our group, arsenic good arsenic adding immense worth successful what helium tin bring arsenic an astute coach.  

"He is truly passionate astir the crippled and NSW."

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