St George Illawarra’s Struggles and the Search for Solutions
St George Illawarra, a team that has yet to secure a win this season, is reaching out to Kyle Flanagan, the son of their former coach Shane Flanagan, as they face another setback. Rookie halfback Kade Reed is set to miss up to three months due to a ruptured tendon in his finger, which he sustained during a heavy loss to Newcastle on Saturday. He underwent surgery on Tuesday, leaving the team to look for alternatives in the halves.
The club’s interim coach, Dean Young, has been working with Flanagan and Daniel Atkinson in the halfback position, with Atkinson returning from a hand injury that had troubled him for several weeks. Young had given 20-year-old Reed his NRL debut during Anzac Day and had hoped to give him more opportunities in the first-grade side. However, Flanagan’s time as a player under Young has been limited, as he hasn’t made an appearance in either of the side’s losses.
Despite the challenges, Dragons co-captain Damien Cook has praised Flanagan’s attitude during this difficult period. “His dad being coach, it’d be hard to go through, and the way he’s carried himself around the club has been really good,” said Cook, who is preparing for his 250th NRL game against the Panthers. Cook acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, where a player might have to deal with their father being the coach and not starting for a few weeks. “I feel for him. I’ve definitely been impressed with how he’s handled it.”
Reed’s injury has come at a tough time for the Dragons, who are looking to break a 13-game losing streak against ladder-leading Penrith during Magic Round on Sunday. The team is hoping for an update on Reed’s condition this week, with some teammates and club staff only becoming aware of the severity of his injury after training on Tuesday. Reed had been hiding his pain following the round-10 loss, and Cook expects him to remain level-headed despite the setback.
“Obviously it’s been a tough start for him, great to get your debut in a massive game on Anzac Day and obviously it wasn’t the way we wanted it to go,” Cook said. “He’s at the start of his career, obviously he had that (halfback) spot and he was trying to really get a few games under his belt. I know the type of kid he is, I know how hard he works. He’ll be back, better for it.”
Meanwhile, Dragons co-captain Clint Gutherson missed training on Tuesday but was still named on Young’s team sheet for the upcoming match. Gutherson will be monitored ahead of Magic Round, as Moses Suli’s return from a back injury opens up the fullback spot. Gutherson had a tough afternoon when he played at right centre against the Knights.
Val Holmes remains at left centre after recovering from a shoulder complaint, while Mat Feagai’s back issue sees Christian Tuipulotu take a wing position. Back-up hooker Jacob Liddle, who was one of the club’s best players during the Flanagan era, is still at least a week away from returning due to a hamstring issue.
