Dragons Coach Flanagan Stands Firm on Sideline Amidst Mounting Pressure
Under-fire St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has declared he has a side prepared to fight for him after abandoning the coach's box for the touchline during their 28-18 defeat to the Manly Sea Eagles. On a tumultuous day that saw the Dragons merchandise van crash en route to WIN Stadium, Flanagan's future remains precarious as his team's winless season stretched to a sixth consecutive game.
Flanagan's Sideline Presence Sparks Improved Effort
With Flanagan pacing the sideline for the full 80 minutes, the Dragons displayed renewed spirit, rallying from a 16-0 deficit to briefly lead by two points. However, the Sea Eagles' superior class ultimately prevailed, with Reuben Garrick scoring two tries and Tom Trbojevic adding one try and an assist. Flanagan emphasized his commitment, stating, "I don't want to hide in the coach's box. I am here to fight and here to win. I'm on the sideline with the team fighting as hard as I can." He added that he welcomed the scrutiny, saying cameras could focus on him for the entire match if desired.
Critical Period Ahead for Dragons and Flanagan
Flanagan has faced intense pressure throughout the week, with the upcoming matches against South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters, followed by a round-nine bye, deemed crucial for his tenure. While the Dragons showed improvement from last week's 32-0 thrashing by North Queensland, a series of costly errors extended the club's worst-ever losing streak to 10 games, dating back to August. Reflecting on the coaching landscape, Flanagan noted, "I am not quite sure if the rope is shorter or longer, but it's not an enjoyable one when you're on that rope." He acknowledged the unfamiliarity of losing multiple games in a row but praised his players' effort, believing it indicated they were playing for him.
Key Errors and Missed Opportunities Haunt Dragons
Despite the improved effort, the Dragons were plagued by critical mistakes. Tyrell Sloan, filling in at fullback, was active in attack but dropped a ball before Manly's first try and failed to prevent a 40-20 kick leading to their second. The Dragons allowed Manly to travel 100 metres from a kick-off for Garrick's third try, with winger Christian Tuipoltu injured during the play. Just before halftime, winger Setu Tu dropped a ball over the line under pressure from Trbojevic. Although Tu scored after the break and made a crucial tackle to help the Dragons take an 18-16 lead, more errors followed. With the score at 22-18 after Kobe Hetherington's try for Manly, the Dragons had a golden opportunity to regain the lead but back-rower Luciano Leilua opted for a poorly executed kick that went dead. Trbojevic then set up Lehi Hopoate for a try, sealing the victory.
Manly's Resurgence Under Foran
Manly, rejuvenated under interim coach Kieran Foran, who has now won two from two, could improve to a 3-3 record if they defeat North Queensland next week. Foran remarked, "The season was slowly getting away from us. You have to stay in the pack. We have a really good footy team and we should be winning more games than we're losing." This win marks a significant turnaround for the Sea Eagles, who were struggling just two weeks ago when Anthony Seibold was sacked.
