Dragons coach Shane Flanagan defiant after 10th-straight loss vs Sea Eagles, round six result, press conference

Shane Flanagan stood on the sidelines on Friday night, riding the wave of every play as major question marks remain over his future at the Dragons.

The under-fire coach ditched the usual safety of the coach’s box at WIN Stadium and took a front-row seat alongside general manager of football Ben Haran as his side suffered a 10th-straight loss dating back to last season, this time against a resurgent Sea Eagles outfit reaping the rewards of a coaching change with Kieran Foran at the helm.

Flanagan’s men were blown off the park and trailed 16-0 after less than a quarter of the match, but rallied back to take an 18-16 lead early in the second half.

Dragons players walk off the field. Getty

But as has been the case too many times to count, the Dragons blew a second-half lead and ended up falling 28-18 against Manly in front of their frustrated home fans.

The hosts had their fair share of opportunities to extend a lead or fight back late in the contest, but the lack of execution and polish was again a clear issue.

“It was definitely an improvement,” Flanagan said in his post-game press conference.

“We competed really hard and if a few things would have gone our way, we scrape home for a win. There was an opportunity for us to score a try just before half time and we fumbled it. There was an opportunity Luch [Luciano Leilua] kicked the ball – if it sits up we score or if he passes it we score.

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“We had our opportunities and I think because the confidence is probably low, those types of things don’t go your way.

“I thought attitude and effort was there, but execution we were probably down a touch.”

Shane Flanagan speaks to media. Fox League

Flanagan was then asked why he opted to watch from the bench as opposed to his usual spot up in the grandstand with assistants Michael Ennis and Dean Young.

“I don’t wanna hide in the coach’s box,” he said.

“I’m here to fight, I’m here to win and I’m on the sideline with the team fighting.

“I didn’t wanna hide in the coach’s box and have cameras going up there – they could have got me for 80 minutes [on the sideline] if they wanted.”

Flanagan’s side have now gone 0-6 to start the season and remain the only team in the NRL without registering a victory as it stands.

Shane Flanagan sits on the sidelines. Getty

With incredibly tough tasks against the Rabbitohs and Roosters on the horizon and Flanagan’s job on the line, the question was asked whether he would make changes.

His response indicates it will likely be a similar lineup again next weekend.

“The issue is with most NRL clubs, what are we gonna replace them with? I’ve got 28 out of our top 30 signed, we’ve got some injuries,” Flanagan said.

“There’s not someone sitting there where I’m like ‘jump in there’ so it’s a tricky one. If I had someone better out of the side, I would put them in, trust me.”

Jacob Halangahu and Loko Pasifiki Tonga are two of the game’s most highly-touted young forwards but have played a combined total of 22 minutes all year, while halves Kade Reed and Lyhkan King-Togia are also waiting in the wings.

Jacob Halangahu has barely been sighted this season. Getty

Flanagan believes the halves pairing against Manly – his son Kyle and star recruit Daniel Atkinson – set things up well enough, but their teammates couldn’t capitalise.

“They created moments – we created enough opportunities, we just didn’t finish them which has been our story through the year,” he said.

If the struggling Dragons lose their next two games in a row, Flanagan’s role as coach will be all-but over, but captain Damien Cook doesn’t see it that way and believes the playing group are the ones who need to dig the club out of the hole.

“His rope should be long, because he [Flanagan] is not the issue,” Cook said.

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