Dragons interim coach Dean Young says the race to earn the long-term role hasn't been a distraction from his week to week duties. Photo: NRL Imagery

INTERIM Dragons coach Dean Young was tight-lipped about his Thursday-night interview with the club board, but you can assume it went something like his media op on Saturday - succinct and to the point.

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Young is one of three candidates being considered for the full-time gig, with former Broncos and Panthers coach Anthony Griffin and former Raiders boss David Furner.

He was the only one with the immediate priority of coaching an NRL side, but the club premiership-winner was happy with the account he made of himself.

"The process was very professional from the club, I put my best foot forward on Thursday night," Young said.

"I've just taken on board what the CEO [Ryan Webb] has told me, he's kept me up to date on where everything's at. He asked me to present on Thursday night and I did that.

"That's all I can say about it, it's up to them now. I gave it my best shot so we'll see what happens."

A decision is expected to come down next week, shortening what initially looked to be a six-week audition for Young. It remains to be seen how much results as an interim factor in, but it'll do nothing to change the 36-year-old's approach.

"It's a question for the board whether the next four weeks and their results have any impact on their decision," he said.

"I think I've made it pretty clear in the two weeks I've been interim coach that I look for people who compete, people who are consistent and who are disciplined. That won't change if given the opportunity moving forward.

"I think we've started the process, the last three weeks have been pretty similar, we've been the fight the last two minutes of the game. We can't say that for earlier in the season where we were up and down and a lot of times the game's been over with 30 minutes to play.

"That's not what we want to be about, we want to be there fighting to the death and give ourselves an opportunity to win it in the last 10 minutes. Footy's not easy, it's a long season, it's tough, and you've got to keep competing to give yourself the chance to win."

The Dragons, a side which feature Gerringong Tariq and Korbin Sims, Jackson Ford, Shellharbour's Euan Aitken and Trent Merrin and Albion Park-Oak Flats' Adam Clune, weren't able to do that last week, conceding two tries in the final four minutes to go down to the Titans and bow out of finals contention.

They have the Cowboys this Sunday ahead of a tough run home against the Raiders, Knights and Storm. Young's been unequivocal in his assertion the red v "deserves everything" but says the ball is in his players' court.

"I haven't tried to impart that on the players, it's their decision," he said.

"It means a lot to me, the jersey deserves everything, in the end they're the ones running out on the field so they'll show me how much the jersey means to them.

"It's not necessarily about winning and losing, it's about knowing what we're going to get each week from this group of players."

The Cowboys have had their own share of ups and downs this year, ultimately parting ways with premiership-winning coach Paul Green.

They're also in the same boat with finals off the table but Young expects pride to be a powerful motivator.

"They've been a bit like us, they've been inconsistent and the year hasn't gone the way they wanted it to like us," Young said.

"When you're playing in the NRL and you're putting yourself out there each week you want to put your best foot forward.

"They're under an interim coach as well so I'm sure he's got some different ideas to Paul Green and I'm sure the players are out their trying impress him and play with as much pride as they can. We'll be doing the same."

Young named a a largely unchanged 17 despite the Titans loss, with Tyrell Fuimaono returning from suspension in place of the injured Trent Merrin the only change.

"I feel the team we put out against the Titans deserves an opportunity to get it right this weekend, it's up to them now," Young said.

"I'm hoping to see improvement. We've had three weeks in a row now where we've been pretty consistent, we've been in the fight the last two minutes of each game.

"It's disappointing we didn't get the job done against the Titans but it'll be the same this weekend, the Cowboys have a lot to play for as we do.

"We're going to go up there, put out best foot forward, be there to compete hard and try and get the job done late in the game."