A New Chapter for the St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons have found a new lease of life in the 2023 season, with a growing sense of optimism among players and fans alike. For halfback Kyle Flanagan, the opportunity to climb off the bottom of the table is more than just a team goal—it’s a personal motivation.
After securing two crucial wins in recent weeks, the Red V have kept their hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon alive. Their latest victory came against the Wests Tigers, with a final score of 24-10 at Kogarah. This win followed an earlier triumph over the Brisbane Broncos, marking the club’s second win of the season.
Both victories have come under the guidance of interim coach Dean Young, who took charge after the departure of Flanagan’s father, Shane, in April. Under Young’s leadership, the Dragons have shown signs of improvement, coming close to challenging strong teams like Newcastle and Canberra on the road before finally defeating the Tigers.
The Red V have never finished with a wooden spoon as a joint venture, but the current situation has made it a realistic possibility. However, with a favorable draw following this week’s bye, the team now has a chance to move up the ladder.
Flanagan expressed his desire to avoid the wooden spoon, both personally and as a team. “You always want to win going into a bye and get six days off to spend some time with the family,” he said. “For me personally, that (avoiding the wooden spoon) is something of a goal. I think we can address that as a team, getting off the bottom of the ladder and looking at the last eight games and what we can do to make our fans and the club proud.”
The Dragons have five home games remaining this season, which could be key to their success. They will also face four teams currently outside the top eight, giving them a good chance to improve their position on the table.
Among the teams in the bottom half of the ladder, the Gold Coast Titans (4-11) are seen as the most likely side the Dragons could leapfrog to climb off the 17th spot. Flanagan highlighted the positive atmosphere within the squad, noting that the players are enjoying training and showing resilience despite the challenges faced early in the season.
“We’ve got quite a tight group of players who are enjoying coming to training every day,” Flanagan said. “We’ve been faced with a lot of challenges in the first part of the season but our captains have brought everyone together, and we just keep turning up for our teammates.”
With a mix of determination, strong leadership, and a favorable schedule, the Dragons are beginning to show that they can still make a difference in the latter part of the season. Fans are hopeful that the team can build on their recent performances and finish the year on a high note.
