Arriving to grant the St George Illawarra Dragons’ troubling prayers is Shane Flanagan.
Supporters of St George Illawarra had already received an early Christmas gift: a brand new coach, while the rest of the world anxiously anticipated Santa Claus’s arrival.
Shane Flanagan, the winner of the Cronulla premiership, signs a three-year contract with the Sharks’ southern Sydney rivals with the goal of bringing back the greatest team in Australia.
Flanagan last served as an NRL coach five years ago. Interestingly, it has been the same length of time since his current team has failed to get past the semifinals.
Given the Dragons’ recent struggles, it’s simple to forget just how strong the red vee jersey once was.
Compared to other clubs, Saints have participated in a disproportionate number of Grand Finals since World War II—22 as St George and two as a joint venture with Illawarra.
But failure has lined their path since the victorious 2010 decider.
Paul McGregor, the team’s favorite son, took good care of the Red Vee and led them back to the championship game in 2015. But during his erratic six-year tenure, McGregor presided over a slide into mediocrity.
After a stellar start to 2021 under former Brisbane and Penrith coach Anthony Griffin, COVID moved the competition north to Queensland, where the traveling Dragons dropped out of the top eight after dropping a club-record eight straight games.
Strangely, the team decided to extend Griffin’s contract during the off-season. However, he was obliged to reapply for his own job a few weeks into the 2023 campaign with a 12–12 record in 2022. Griffin’s job had been fired by May.
Prior to Flanagan’s appointment, Ryan Carr, the former manager of Featherstone Rovers, guided the Dragons through the rest of the season.
First and foremost on the new coach’s list of priorities should be fundamental discipline.
The Dragons’ current slump has been characterized by off-field turmoil in addition to their evident on-field difficulties. There have been an absurd number of scandals since their previous postseason trip.
Though he lost two and a half seasons, Jack De Belin’s allegations of aggravated sexual assault were later dropped.
The NRL punished 13 Saints for violating COVID protocols in the middle of the season, which set off their startling late-season collapse. They also penalized veteran playmaker Corey Norman for a street fight prior to the 2021 season.
Undertaking basic discipline should be the new coach’s top priority.
The off-field unrest that has accompanied the Dragons’ apparent on-field struggles has contributed to their current slump. The amount of scandals that have occurred since their last postseason appearance is ridiculous.
Though he lost two and a half seasons, Jack De Belin’s claims of serious sexual assault were later withdrawn.
Thirteen Saints were disciplined by the NRL for breaking COVID guidelines over the season, which precipitated their shocking collapse in the latter stages. In addition, they fined seasoned playmaker Corey Norman for getting into a fight on the street before the 2021 season.
The bookies predict that Red Vee will win the first wooden spoon in the history of the merger.
But Flanagan does not lack any things to deal with entirely.
The back five—Mathew Feagai (22), Moses Suli (25), Zac Lomax (24) and Mikaele Ravalawa (26), are youthful, composed, and strong.
The halves, on the other hand, are not.
Ben Hunt, the halfback, is a star who will soon turn 34. His halves partner, Jayden Sullivan, is a huge question mark since he is going to the Tigers, and Amone is in serious trouble.
Kyle, Flanagan’s son, has joined his fourth club in five years, or Lomax may move down to number six. As Hunt’s long-term replacement, the Saints are also pursuing Tom Dearden, a young player for the Cowboys.
Thanks to players like Jaydn Su’A, Jack Bird, De Belin, Jacob Liddle, Ben Murdoch-Masila, and Blake Lawrie, the front pack is strong if not outstanding.
Kyle Flanagan, ex-Rabbitohs enforcer Hame Sele and former Storm forward Tom Eisenhuth might be their only recruits for 2024.
However, making room for new players—saying goodbye to Jaiyden Hunt, Josh Kerr, Zane Musgrove, and Jayden Sullivan—might be just as crucial as Moses Mbye and Aaron Woods’ departure in the middle of last year.
This season, a big number of Dragons will also be out of contract, giving Flanagan a fantastic opportunity to leave his mark on the locker room.
Among the most illustrious rugby league teams is St George Illawarra. Their hordes of supporters are hoping Flanagan will quickly instill some pride in their renowned jersey.
