Shane Flanagan has dismissed suggestions that St George Illawarra’s upcoming match against Canterbury holds any personal significance for him and his son Kyle, despite their history with the rejuvenated NRL club.
Recent reports resurfaced claiming that the Bulldogs had overlooked Flanagan for an interview before ultimately choosing former Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo as their head coach for 2023. Flanagan, clearly frustrated, labeled these claims as “an absolute load of rubbish” on Friday as he prepared for a round-23 match in which both teams are in their best form in five years.
Focusing on ending the eighth-placed Dragons’ five-year finals drought, Flanagan emphasized that his motivation lies in securing the two competition points, rather than any perceived feud with Canterbury.
“It’s an absolute load of rubbish,” the former premiership-winning Cronulla coach stated. “Every game is important to me for winning competition points, whether we’re playing the Bulldogs, the Roosters, or the Sharks. The Sharks game holds a bit more importance for me than playing the Bulldogs.”
Flanagan, typically known for his openness, was equally quick to dismiss claims that his son Kyle, now a Dragons recruit, would be out to prove something against his former club. Kyle joined the Bulldogs from the Sydney Roosters in 2021 under then-coach Trent Barrett, but he fell out of favor when Cameron Ciraldo took over. Kyle was dropped from the halves last April and later returned to the team in a bench utility role.
“It’s tough being a halfback at a club, especially when things aren’t going well, as was the case with the Bulldogs last year. Kyle, as a halfback, took a lot of the criticism, and he understands that,” Flanagan said. “Kyle enjoyed his time at the Bulldogs and the Roosters. Players move on.”
The Dragons are expecting their largest crowd at Jubilee Oval since before the pandemic, with between 17,000 and 20,000 fans anticipated on Saturday night.