The worst-kept secret in footy is confirmed! Dragons announce controversial mentor Shane Flanagan as the brand new coach of the struggling membership
- Shane Flanagan will coach the Dragons
- Got here after Jason Ryles rejected function
- Ends ex-Sharks coach’s five-year exile
Shane Flanagan can be appointed as St George Illawarra’s subsequent head coach, ending the premiership-winner’s five-year exile from the new seat at an NRL membership.
By the tip of the Dragons’ board assembly on Tuesday it had been unanimously determined the ex-Cronulla boss would develop into Anthony Griffin’s everlasting successor from 2024.
The Dragons confirmed to AAP Flanagan had been provided the job.
The events will now start engaged on the size of his contract, wage and different specifics.
High-rated assistant coach Jason Ryles was initially the front-runner to develop into the Dragons’ subsequent full-time boss after a six-game dropping streak value Griffin his job final month.
Shane Flanagan, pictured when he was an assistant coach on the Dragons in 2020, will return to the membership to take up the pinnacle teaching place
Flanagan guided the Sharks to their drought-breaking 2016 premiership, earlier than the dietary supplements saga noticed him banned from head teaching roles
When Dragons nice Jason Ryles, pictured as assistant coach of the Roosters earlier this season, knocked again the function, it was Flanagan’s for the taking
When Ryles knocked the Dragons again to rejoin Melbourne as an assistant, Flanagan rocketed into the driving seat forward of former Dragons gamers and present NRL assistants Dean Younger and Ben Hornby.
Flanagan was the one candidate on that shortlist with head-coaching expertise, having completed his 185-game tenure on the Sharks with a 55 per cent profitable report and the 2016 premiership.
Flanagan is at the moment an assistant coach at Manly.
As of final week, the Sea Eagles had not confirmed whether or not the 57-year-old could be launched mid-season to start work on the Dragons.
With a 2-2 report since taking up from Griffin, interim coach Ryan Carr is predicted to see the season out however St George Illawarra have been eager for his or her new coach to start work on the roster as quickly as potential.
The Dragons have had a tricky few years, and sit final on the ladder this 12 months. Can Flanagan flip the struggling membership round?
The Dragons have struggled to draw top-quality expertise in current seasons.
They’re ranked final on the ladder by 15 rounds and are dealing with the very actual risk of lacking a fifth consecutive 12 months of finals.
Since their merger in 1999, the Dragons had by no means beforehand gone greater than three years with out finals soccer.
Saints will hope Flanagan’s profitable expertise, and his earlier stint on employees as an assistant, may also help persuade present gamers to remain regardless of the dearth of current success.
Even earlier than being assured the job, Flanagan had made contact with captain Ben Hunt to encourage the halfback to not comply with shut confidant Griffin out the door.
Flanagan approached skipper Ben Hunt (pictured) even earlier than he was confirmed as the brand new coach to implore him to remain on the Dragons
The Dragons job can be Flanagan’s first NRL head-coaching function since being deregistered by the league in late 2018 after it got here to gentle he remained in touch with Cronulla throughout a year-long suspension incurred for his function within the membership’s dietary supplements scandal.
As a part of his punishment, Flanagan has solely been permitted to use for head-coaching roles with out in search of exemption from the NRL since November 2021.
He returned to teaching as an assistant on the Dragons in 2020.
He left when Griffin turned head coach in 2021 and this season joined the Sea Eagles underneath new head coach Anthony Seibold.
Seibold had beforehand mentioned he backed his assistant to land the Dragons job, regardless of Flanagan having two years to run on his contract at Brookvale Oval.
