Reporter Paul Crawley has warned young halves against signing with the Dragons while Shane Flanagan is coach and Kyle Flanagan is playing, stating \u201cthere is obviously something going on\u201d when it comes to selection.<\/p>\n
The Dragons are now in 15th spot on the ladder and have lost their last three games, most recently a 40-24 defeat to Manly in Round 26.<\/p>\n
The joint venture have won just eight of their 23 games this season.<\/p>\n
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\n It comes after they finished 11th in Shane Flanagan\u2019s first season as coach of the club last year.<\/p>\n Journalist Andrew Webster said he believes Shane Flanagan, who last month signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the club until the end of the 2028 season, is \u201cunder pressure\u201d heading into 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cNow the wheels have fallen off the season haven\u2019t they,\u201d Webster said on NRL 360 on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure we\u2019re all hearing all the same rumblings about some players not being happy with him.<\/p>\n \u201cThat happens when you\u2019re having a losing season.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s under pressure going into next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow panellist Crawley wondered why the Dragons rushed into extending Shane Flanagan\u2019s contract, given he still had 12 months to run on his original contract which wasn\u2019t due to expire until the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did they have to give him that extension? Why couldn\u2019t they have waited a few weeks?\u201d Crawley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHas it resulted in any further players going to their club?\u201d<\/p>\n Crawley then put the blowtorch on Dragons halfback Kyle Flanagan.<\/p>\n \u201cKyle Flanagan, we\u2019ve said it, and we\u2019re not picking on the bloke.<\/p>\n \u201cHe tries his guts out.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I just don\u2019t see how you think that having Kyle as your seven going forward is going to put you not just in the top eight but in the top four or where they want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragons have recruited Sharks playmaker Daniel Atkinson for 2026.<\/p>\n Crawley believes both Atkinson and current five-eighth Lyhkan King-Togia should be ahead of Kyle Flanagan in the pecking order for selection in the Dragons\u2019 halves next season.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve bought Atkinson. They\u2019ve got King-Togia who is a pretty fair talent,\u201d Crawley added.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got something that Flanno hasn\u2019t got. They\u2019ve got a bit more speed.\u201d<\/p>\n Crawley also wondered why Lachlan Ilias wasn\u2019t given more of an opportunity throughout the 2025 season.<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n CRAWLS: Ciraldo\u2019s awkward dilemma after legend\u2019s No.9 call; Teddy\u2019s Dally M threat<\/a><\/p>\n TEAM TIPS: Ivan\u2019s cryptic reply as resting furore set to reignite; Ciraldo\u2019s Dogs hint<\/a><\/p>\n