Dragons Know What They Need To Do

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

In fairly unsurprising NRL news, St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has been sacked by the club after an 11-game losing streak, effective immediately.

The club’s head of football, Ben Haran, is also leaving the club, according to a statement put out by the Dragons today.

Last weekend's 30-12 loss to the Rabbitohs followed a 28-18 loss to what appeared to be a beatable Manly. Before that, it was a painful 32-0 blowout against North Queensland,

The club says they no longer see Flanagan as the man to turn things around and feel a change of direction is needed.

But what does this mean?

In the rugby league world, a new direction doesn't necessarily mean a fresh start - or even a bold change.

The 'NRL coach deficit' is now on display for all, with fans expecting to see either a nameless member of the auxiliary squad temporarily promoted, or one of the other 15 coaches in the entire competition rotated back in to the role.

This news isn't even that bad for Flanagan, because all he has to do his put his hand up to coach the Blues in Origin, and if he manages to secure a series win, he will immediately become the most in-demand coach in the NRL.

Fort the long-suffering Dragons fans, this 16 years of torture has almost left them with an appetite for risk.

Will their club put it all on the line and employ the most eager international dual-code coach in Australia: Randwick Rugby legend and Lebanese rugby league icon, Michael Cheika?

The man who took the Waratahs to a Super Rugby title and the Wallabies to a rugby world cup final, before turning his attention back to rugby league by coaching his beloved Cedars to their first ever RLWC quarter finals?

The man who is currently bouncing around assistant roles for whichever NRL club will have him, the man who has outwardly expressed an interest in becoming the head coach for an NRL side - no matter how shit they are?

This man who speaks like 6 languages and is independently wealthy enough from a highly succesful career as a Paris rag-trader to not even need to take a salary?

Or will they play it safe and hire some bloke who has 'done his time' working under Hook Griffin for six bottom 8 seasons?