Reporter Paul Crawley has warned young halves against signing with the Dragons while Shane Flanagan is coach and Kyle Flanagan is playing, stating “there is obviously something going on” when it comes to selection.
The Dragons are now in 15th spot on the ladder and have lost their last three games, most recently a 40-24 defeat to Manly in Round 26.
The joint venture have won just eight of their 23 games this season.
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It comes after they finished 11th in Shane Flanagan’s first season as coach of the club last year.
Journalist Andrew Webster said he believes Shane Flanagan, who last month signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the club until the end of the 2028 season, is “under pressure” heading into 2026.
“Now the wheels have fallen off the season haven’t they,” Webster said on NRL 360 on Tuesday night.
“I’m sure we’re all hearing all the same rumblings about some players not being happy with him.
“That happens when you’re having a losing season.
“I think he’s under pressure going into next year.”
Fellow panellist Crawley wondered why the Dragons rushed into extending Shane Flanagan’s contract, given he still had 12 months to run on his original contract which wasn’t due to expire until the end of the 2026 season.
“Why did they have to give him that extension? Why couldn’t they have waited a few weeks?” Crawley asked.
“Has it resulted in any further players going to their club?”
Crawley then put the blowtorch on Dragons halfback Kyle Flanagan.
“Kyle Flanagan, we’ve said it, and we’re not picking on the bloke.
“He tries his guts out.
“But I just don’t see how you think that having Kyle as your seven going forward is going to put you not just in the top eight but in the top four or where they want to be.”
The Dragons have recruited Sharks playmaker Daniel Atkinson for 2026.
Crawley believes both Atkinson and current five-eighth Lyhkan King-Togia should be ahead of Kyle Flanagan in the pecking order for selection in the Dragons’ halves next season.
“They’ve bought Atkinson. They’ve got King-Togia who is a pretty fair talent,” Crawley added.
“They’ve got something that Flanno hasn’t got. They’ve got a bit more speed.”
Crawley also wondered why Lachlan Ilias wasn’t given more of an opportunity throughout the 2025 season.
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Ilias hasn’t featured in the NRL since Round 8, despite guiding the Dragons to second spot on the ladder in the NSW Cup.
“I just don’t understand why Lachy Ilias hasn’t got another shot this year,” Crawley said.
“He hardly got a chance to secure his position.
“Once he got punted he never came back.
“And yet we’ve watched them finish the season like they did.
“I can’t see the improvement there.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If I was a young halfback coming through I would not go to that club while he’s there because there is obviously something going on.”
Webster agreed with Crawley’s assessment.
“I’m with you,” Webster said.
