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<\/p>\nNo one questions the commitment of St George Illawarra under Shane Flanagan.<\/p>\n
But Dragons fans are still entitled to question if the club jumped the gun handing Flanagan a contract extension at the end of last season despite finishing 15th on the ladder.<\/p>\n
It means Flanagan has a deal until the end of 2028, which must be tremendously reassuring given how the Dragons have started this season.<\/p>\n
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WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n The 30-20 loss to Parramatta<\/a> leaves the Dragons equal last with Gold Coast, as one of three teams winless after three rounds.<\/p>\n Manly of course got two competition points on the weekend thanks to the bye.<\/p>\n In fairness to the Dragons, their previous defeats were a 15-14 golden point nail-biter against the Bulldogs (when the Dragons copped some shocking calls in Vegas), and 46-20 loss to the Storm (when the Dragons led with 20 minutes to go before Sua Fa\u2019alogo caught fire).<\/p>\n Nevertheless, in the NRL a loss is a loss, and when they keep mounting the blowtorch on the coach is never far away.<\/p>\n Factor in this year\u2019s start is on the back of the Dragons winning only eight of 24 games last year and 11 of 24 in 2024.<\/p>\n All up, that\u2019s 19 wins in Flanagan\u2019s 51 games coaching the Red V.<\/p>\n It puts Flanagan\u2019s average in the same period well below both Anthony Seibold (26 wins in 52 matches) and Todd Payten (26 of 53), who are considered the two coaches fighting to be first sacked this year.<\/p>\n Dragons coach Shane Flanagan speaking with captains Damien Cook and Clinton Gutherson in Las Vegas earlier this year.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting that the Dragons\u2019 next game is against the Titans on the Gold Coast before the play the Cowboys at home in round five, and the Sea Eagles in round six.<\/p>\n It sets up a huge three weeks for all coaches involved.<\/p>\n Again, I\u2019m not saying we can\u2019t see signs the Dragons are having a red-hot crack for their coach.<\/p>\n But some of their attacking options when the game was in the balance on Sunday were just fair dinkum embarrassing.<\/p>\n I said at the start of the season this Dragons\u2019 roster is the most limited in the NRL given its lack of attacking strike.<\/p>\n Nothing has changed my mind on that.<\/p>\n In fact, what Sunday\u2019s match highlighted was that the Eels have a stack of improvement left in them before they get anywhere reaching their potential.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: Bizarre Broncos problem in \u2018statement\u2019; Ciraldo\u2019s last laugh as Benji hits early crisis<\/a><\/p>\n ‘Silly’ Sin-bin leads to easy try | 00:30<\/p>\n But it\u2019s hard to see where the Dragons\u2019 improvement will come from unless coach Flanagan is prepared to make some tough decisions.<\/p>\n In fairness to the Dragons\u2019 forwards, they are more than holding their own.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the strike in the backs that remains the elephant in the room.<\/p>\n Last year Jason Ryles made the huge call to let Clint Gutherson go so he could open the door for Isaiah Iongi at Parramatta.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t hear anyone arguing that point anymore.<\/p>\n But at the Dragons there are huge questions marks hanging right over almost the entire backline.<\/p>\n In the halves Kyle Flanagan and Daniel Atkinson never stop trying.<\/p>\n But if you were to put Mitchell Moses in the Dragons, it would be a completely different story.<\/p>\n Yet the Dragons recruited Atkinson to be their long-term halfback with Flanagan playing six, even though Atkinson appears an out-and-out five-eighth and Flanagan a halfback.<\/p>\n It seems confusing because it is.<\/p>\n Coach Flanagan also mentioned is his media conference on Sunday how when he coached Cronulla they were in a similar spot in 2016 but went on to take out the premiership.<\/p>\n But with due respect that was with a squad that boasted Ben Barba, a young Val Holmes, James Maloney, Luke Lewis, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen, Mick Ennis and Andrew Fifita.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hardly judging apples with apples.<\/p>\n When Paul McGregor got off to a 0-3 start at the Dragons in 2020 it was the beginning of the end for him.<\/p>\n Admittedly the argument at that point was Mary had had plenty of time to turn things around.<\/p>\n Yet Flanagan avoids anywhere near the same scrutiny even though he already clearly has his fingerprints all over this roster in his third season in charge.<\/p>\n Whether that is a good or bad thing is open to interpretation.<\/p>\n CODY AND LATRELL MUST PUT SOUTHS AHEAD OF EGO<\/p>\n Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell should use Souths\u2019 bye round this week to re-evaluate what is most important to them this season.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no use having blokes like Jye Gray, Cam Murray and Jack Wighton bust their gut for the team if the two superstars in the Rabbitohs\u2019 backline can\u2019t put their egos in their back pocket.<\/p>\n For the second straight week Cody and Latrell very nearly brought the Bunnies undone after they scraped home 20-16 against the Wests Tigers in Gosford<\/a>.<\/p>\n And people were still wondering why Wayne Bennett was short with the media after the game.<\/p>\n Bennett frosty following tight victory | 04:58<\/p>\n When pressed what didn\u2019t please him about this victory, Bennett finally said: \u201cWe are better than what we played tonight. If we keep playing like that we won\u2019t be in contention for anything except the bottom end of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n While Bennett wouldn\u2019t elaborate on exactly what was upsetting him, I thought it was pretty clear watching the game.<\/p>\n A week earlier Cody had two brain explosions against the Roosters, while Latrell also had his moments.<\/p>\n This time Latrell took the lead and Cody followed.<\/p>\n Along with giving up an eight-point try, Latrell\u2019s two pushed passes coming out of trouble in the first half put his team under unnecessary pressure.<\/p>\n And while the Rabbitohs were praised for defending 26-straight tackles on their own tryline at one point, go back and watch how that sequence unfolded.<\/p>\n It was Walker who gave up a cheap set restart when he held on too long on the fifth tackle.<\/p>\n Sure, as per usual everyone focusses on the plays from these two that leads to points.<\/p>\n But if Souths are going to challenge the big guns come September, they need the two players who set the Bunnies\u2019 barometer in measuring attitude leading the charge in the one percenters.<\/p>\n STORM\u2019S BIG THREE GO MIA AGAINST BRONCOS<\/p>\n You\u2019d love to have been a fly on the wall to hear what Craig Bellamy had to say to the Storm\u2019s \u2018big three\u2019 following Friday\u2019s 18-14 loss to the Broncos<\/a>.<\/p>\n How does a team containing Harry Grant, Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster not score a single second half point in a grand final rematch after leading 14-0 at the break?<\/p>\n It\u2019s the second time in a row now the Broncos have overcome a double-digit deficit to beat their former bogey team.<\/p>\n While the Broncos deserve plenty of credit for the grit and guts they showed stage another remarkable comeback, some of the Storm\u2019s attacking sets when the match was still there to be won late completely lacked composure.<\/p>\n Grant, Hughes and Munster would be terribly disappointed.<\/p>\n While individually they tried their hearts out, collectively they just didn\u2019t connect when the pressure was on.<\/p>\n It was not only the Broncos\u2019 first win in Melbourne in a decade, but that makes it three in a row against the Storm who they also beat in round 27 last year.<\/p>\n It would have to leave more mental scars on Melbourne\u2019s new \u2018big three\u2019.<\/p>\n Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n Bronx silence critics with comeback win | 01:58<\/p>\n DOLPHINS READY TO MAKE A STATEMENT<\/p>\n