The Red V were shut out 32-0 by North Queensland<\/a> on Saturday night to slump to the joint-venture\u2019s worst ever start to a season. <\/p>\n 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 It leaves Flanagan under enormous pressure ahead of Round 6, although next week\u2019s opposition in Manly is proof he is far from guaranteed to even still be in charge by that point after the Sea Eagles brutally axed Anthony Seibold late last month.<\/p>\n That followed an underwhelming 2025 season for Manly and the Dragons fared even worse last year, finishing 15th with an 8-16 record.<\/p>\n Flanagan admitted earlier in the week that there was little he could do outside of winning games to ease the pressure, and a result like the one on Saturday will instead only further put the spotlight on him. <\/p>\n It has been a sudden slide to the bottom of the ladder for the Dragons, who showed plenty of fight in the season-opener against the Bulldogs and Flanagan was grilled by reporters in his press conference after their latest defeat.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not good enough. I completely understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo excuses put out there. I\u2019ve got to find out why. That\u2019s my job over the next couple of days to find out why. Not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Flanagan said it was almost like his team \u201cdidn\u2019t know each other\u201d at different stages, and while the Dragons completed at 86 per cent that didn\u2019t tell the full story of just how disjointed they looked at times in attack. <\/p>\n ‘Haven’t won a game for 6 months!’ | 01:35<\/p>\n \u201cWe put passes behind each other. The lack of cohesion was very disappointing,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not trying to cover over anything. I\u2019m very, very, very disappointed with the performance. I haven\u2019t got the answers for you right now. I\u2019ve got to find them and find them quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n While Kyle Flanagan was unavailable for Saturday\u2019s game, the Dragons were otherwise fielding their first-choice spine headlined by the experienced Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook. <\/p>\n Daniel Atkinson is a fresh face while Lyhkan King-Togia is still only developing at 20 years old, but otherwise Flanagan has a relatively settled squad which is simply not performing.<\/p>\n When asked how that is the case in his third year at the helm, Flanagan pointed towards the fact the current season is only five rounds old.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s some new players in there in important parts of the team,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said, I\u2019m not making excuses, I fully understand the frustration. I\u2019m as frustrated as anyone.\u201d <\/p>\n The fans are certainly frustrated, having booed the Dragons off the field on Saturday night. They clearly want changes, so what does coach Flanagan see happening after a result like that?<\/p>\n \u201cNot sure. Not sure,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cAll I know is I can just do my best and that\u2019s what I do every day when I go to work, making sure that we prepare the team the best we can. <\/p>\n \u201cIt hasn\u2019t worked so far this year. I\u2019m not going to give up.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n