{"id":461650,"date":"2026-02-06T05:56:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T05:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/461650\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T05:56:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T05:56:10","slug":"dragons-coach-shane-flanagan-puts-players-on-really-tight-leashes-in-las-vegas-for-nrl-season-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/461650\/","title":{"rendered":"Dragons coach Shane Flanagan puts players on \u2018really tight leashes\u2019 in Las Vegas for NRL season opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shane Flanagan has warned St George Illawarra<\/a> they\u2019re on tight leashes in Las Vegas but the pressure will be off Daniel Atkinson to become their game manager on club debut.<\/p>\n

The Dragons fly to the US on February 21 as one of four NRL<\/a> teams featuring in rugby league\u2019s third annual opening round at Allegiant Stadium.<\/p>\n

Like the Saints in 2026, three of last year\u2019s participating NRL teams were based in the notorious party city for their entire stateside visit.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

None of those three teams were subject to curfews, with an elevator scuffle between Canberra\u2019s Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies the only major incident.<\/p>\n

But renowned taskmaster Flanagan was quick to answer when asked whether his players would also be given a loose leash to enjoy themselves in Vegas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no loose leashes. What are those ones, the retractable ones? We\u2019ve got one of them and it doesn\u2019t work. It\u2019s really tight,\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll have some downtime, but we\u2019re going there for business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking at it as a real privilege as a club to go there and play, opening round of the NRL season for \u201826. Fantastic opportunity for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

But one man with freedom on the field in Vegas will be new playmaker Atkinson, who shapes as key to Flanagan\u2019s rebuild now into its third season.<\/p>\n

Atkinson impressed for undermanned Cronulla in 2024 but is more of an unknown quantity this year, having largely played cameo roles from the bench during his final season at the Sharks.<\/p>\n

He effectively replaces Lachlan Ilias, released to Gold Coast in the off-season, and will partner the coach\u2019s son Kyle in the starting halves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a bit of work to do, it\u2019s not just the six and seven gelling, it\u2019s the whole edge and the team. (But) they\u2019ve done a really good job,\u201d the elder Flanagan said.<\/p>\n

But the coach was quick to shut down any suggestion Atkinson would become the Dragons\u2019 attacking architect, the role ex-captain Ben Hunt had filled for seven seasons prior to 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Atkinson) won\u2019t be the game manager, as such, he\u2019s got his own individual game. He\u2019s a ball-runner,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat responsibility (game managing) will fall on a number of people but it definitely gives us that different point of attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson has impressed Flanagan since arriving for pre-season early on November 1 and moved down to Wollongong this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s infectious, the way he wants to attack his footy,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n

The Dragons will hope Atkinson can prevent another year cruelled by close defeats; Saints finished 15th last season but 10 of their 16 losses came by eight points or less.<\/p>\n

In two of those, the Dragons scored more tries than the winning team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no one thing (cause), it wasn\u2019t a lack of experience,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLater in the year, there were some games there, close losses, where we just didn\u2019t have the experience on the park.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did we learn out of it? That we need to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

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