McGregor 'surprised and disappointed' by Widdop's departure

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McGregor 'surprised and disappointed' by Widdop's departure

By Christian Nicolussi

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor was ''surprised and disappointed'' when he first learned of Gareth Widdop's plans to leave the Dragons at the end of the season and take up a deal with Warrington.

More than six weeks after Fairfax Media first reported Widdop had approached club management about an early return home despite having a lucrative deal  until the end of 2021, the Englishman is excited about the chance to play in the Super League.

Going separate ways: Gareth Widdop and Paul McGregor at a press conference last season.

Going separate ways: Gareth Widdop and Paul McGregor at a press conference last season.Credit: AAP

McGregor knows the influence the 29-year-old  has on his squad and has trialled him in the halves and fullback ahead of his final campaign in the Red V.

"When I first got told I was surprised and disappointed in a selfish way, but I understand his compassion and values of why he made his decision and I support him,'' McGregor said.

It certainly hasn’t been the easiest decision  but sometimes in life we have aspirations.

Gareth Widdop

"We have five weeks until the trials and eight weeks until the comp starts, so there is plenty of time to settle positionally on the starting line-up.

"There's been plenty of repetition at the present in multiple positions, and we're very fortunate to have quality and depth in important positions.''

The arrival of Corey Norman will go a long way towards covering Widdop's departure to Warrington, where he will link with former Dragons coach Steve Price. His combination with former Raiders  playmaker Blake Austin would be a handy combination in the NRL, let alone at the Wolves.

Matt Dufty is in a showdown with Widdop for the No. 1 jersey but would not be hindered if given the chance to fine-tune his skills under the experienced Englishman for a season.

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"I’ve made a big decision in my career, having decided to move back to England next year,” Widdop told the Dragons  website.

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"It certainly hasn’t been the easiest decision  but sometimes in life we have aspirations  and playing in the Super League has been one of mine for a while now.

"I’ve been away from home for a long time now and, growing up in Halifax, I always had dreams of playing in Super League.''

Widdop won the premiership with Melbourne in 2012 before he linked with the Dragons, and another title before he departs was high on his agenda.

"I’ve been here a long time now and to get to where we have with the roster we’ve got, to leave it all behind, especially being the captain, will be difficult. I still have the 2019 season to come,'' he said.

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