St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has delivered a firm message to his players ahead of their historic Las Vegas campaign, warning that strict discipline will be enforced during the club's stateside visit. The Dragons are set to fly to the United States on February 21 as one of four NRL teams participating in rugby league's third annual opening round at Allegiant Stadium.
No Loose Leashes in Party City
While three NRL teams based in Las Vegas for their entire 2025 visit operated without curfews, Flanagan has made it clear his squad won't enjoy similar freedoms. The renowned taskmaster was unequivocal when questioned about player liberties in the notorious party destination.
"There's no loose leashes. What are those ones, the retractable ones? We've got one of them and it doesn't work. It's really tight," Flanagan stated emphatically.
The coach acknowledged players would have some downtime but stressed the primary focus remains football. "They'll have some downtime, but we're going there for business. We're looking at it as a real privilege as a club to go there and play, opening round of the NRL season for '26. Fantastic opportunity for us."
Atkinson's Freedom in Flanagan's Rebuild
While off-field discipline will be stringent, one player receiving on-field freedom will be new playmaker Daniel Atkinson. The recruit shapes as crucial to Flanagan's ongoing rebuild, now entering its third season at the Dragons.
Atkinson arrives after impressing for an undermanned Cronulla Sharks side in 2024, though he remains somewhat of an unknown quantity having primarily played cameo roles from the bench during his final season with the Sharks. He effectively replaces Lachlan Ilias, who was released to Gold Coast during the off-season, and will partner the coach's son Kyle Flanagan in the starting halves combination.
Not the Traditional Game Manager
Flanagan was quick to clarify Atkinson's role within the team structure, shutting down suggestions the new recruit would become the Dragons' primary attacking architect - a position former captain Ben Hunt occupied for seven seasons prior to 2025.
"(Atkinson) won't be the game manager, as such, he's got his own individual game. He's a ball-runner," Flanagan explained. "That responsibility (game managing) will fall on a number of people but it definitely gives us that different point of attack."
The coach praised Atkinson's approach since arriving for pre-season training early on November 1, noting the playmaker recently moved down to Wollongong. "He's infectious, the way he wants to attack his footy," Flanagan observed.
Learning from Close Defeats
The Dragons will hope Atkinson's addition can help prevent another season marred by narrow losses. Despite finishing 15th in 2025, St George Illawarra's record reveals ten of their sixteen defeats came by eight points or less. Remarkably, in two of those losses, the Dragons actually scored more tries than the winning team.
Flanagan reflected on these frustrating results, identifying areas for improvement. "There's no one thing (cause), it wasn't a lack of experience. Later in the year, there were some games there, close losses, where we just didn't have the experience on the park. What did we learn out of it? That we need to be better."
As the Dragons prepare for their Las Vegas adventure, Flanagan's approach appears clear: strict discipline off the field combined with strategic freedom for key players like Atkinson on it. The combination could prove vital as St George Illawarra seeks to turn close losses into victories during their landmark American campaign.
