New Leadership for St George Illawarra
Dean Young has been appointed as the interim head coach of St George Illawarra for the remainder of the season following the club’s decision to part ways with Shane Flanagan on Monday. This comes just eight months after the Dragons extended Flanagan’s contract for another two years, highlighting the dramatic shift in leadership.
Flanagan, who appeared visibly distressed after the Dragons’ seventh consecutive loss this season against South Sydney on Saturday, was relieved of his duties. The club opted to make the change before further scrutiny could affect Flanagan’s position.
“I won’t lie, it got pretty bad – it wasn’t nice, but I know that’s part of the job,” Flanagan said in an interview with Channel Nine’s Danny Weidler. “I’m upset I didn’t get to finish the year. But I’ll be fine. I’ve just got to worry about my family.”
Young, one of Flanagan’s assistants, was named as the caretaker coach late Monday and is expected to be a strong contender for the permanent role. Other potential candidates include Ben Hornby, currently an assistant at South Sydney, and Mick Ennis. A less conventional option, Mark “Piggy” Riddell, was also considered for the position.
Young, a former premiership-winning player from 2010, previously served as the interim head coach for six games in 2020. With 14 years of coaching experience and currently serving as an assistant coach for the NSW Blues, he expressed his commitment to leading the club.
“It’s a privilege to lead this club,” Young said. “This current group of players mean a lot to me. I want to support them through this transition.”
The focus now is on maintaining team unity and preparing for the Anzac Day clash. However, the Dragons faced criticism for not having an interim coach in place immediately after the announcement. Young and Ennis informed the players they were not required to attend a planned training session on Tuesday, allowing them time to regroup for a significant training day on Wednesday.
Club legend Young, 42, whose father Craig is also a St George icon, is set to address the media on Tuesday. The club’s board will meet at 9:30 am to confirm Young’s appointment.
There are concerns about whether Young will support the debut of young playmaker Kade Reed, as suggested by Andrew Johns. The club must decide whether to give Reed a chance over underperforming halves Kyle Flanagan or Daniel Atkinson.
St George Illawarra chairman Andrew Lancaster addressed supporters, stating, “Our results on the field and our performance is not to your expectation, it is not to our expectation, and we’re clearly taking steps to address this.”
Flanagan’s exit followed a dismal run of form, including losing their first seven games of the season and 11 in a row since round 23 of 2025. His final game came in a 30-12 defeat to South Sydney on Saturday night. Club officials confirmed Flanagan and football manager Ben Haran left by mutual agreement.
Flanagan had remained diplomatic about his future when questioned recently. In a press release, he stated, “I care deeply about this club and the playing group, and after discussions with the club, we agreed this was the right time for a change. I’d like to thank the players, staff, members and fans for their support, and I wish the club well for the future.”
The Dragons will face the Roosters in Sydney’s annual Anzac Day NRL clash at Allianz Stadium on Saturday. The club plans to conduct a thorough evaluation of the football department, including the appointment of a permanent NRL coach.
“Our focus now is on providing stability for the playing group and staff, supporting everyone through this transition, and ensuring the team is as prepared as possible for the weeks ahead, most notably this week’s Anzac Round clash against the Roosters,” said Dragons CEO Tim Watsford.
Flanagan took charge of Cronulla when they won their only premiership a decade ago and joined the Dragons, a club he once played for, at the start of the 2024 season. He becomes the second NRL coach shown the door this season, following Manly’s decision to axe Anthony Seibold after three defeats to start their campaign.
The Dragons last won a premiership in 2010 under Wayne Bennett and have seen several coaches since then, including Steve Price, Paul McGregor, Dean Young, Anthony Griffin, and Ryan Carr.
