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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has insisted he would never risk the health of his son \u2013 nor any Dragons player \u2013 after recalling halfback Kyle Flanagan 12 days after he suffered a sickening heavy concussion.<\/p>\n Flanagan will start at No.7 for Friday\u2019s must-win clash against Manly, with Daniel Atkinson reverting to five-eighth, Tyrell Sloan replacing the injured Clint Gutherson at fullback and rookie playmaker Kade Reed to be included for the first time on the six-man interchange bench.<\/p>\n The younger Flanagan was knocked out against the Titans last Sunday week and had to stand down for 11 days under the game\u2019s concussion protocols.<\/p>\n The Sea Eagles game will mark 12 days since the incident, but coach Flanagan said Kyle had passed all the necessary medical tests and was adamant there was nothing to fear.<\/p>\n \u201cYes he\u2019s my son, but I wouldn\u2019t risk any of my players if the medical team didn\u2019t tell me they were 100 per cent right to play,\u201d Flanagan told this masthead.<\/p>\n \u201cKyle has done all the testing. He hasn\u2019t had any headaches, and our doctors, who are fantastic, including one who is the head of the emergency department at a hospital, have told me he\u2019ll be ready to go.<\/p>\n \u201cKyle is a tough kid. I had enough trouble telling him he wasn\u2019t playing last week let alone this week.\u201d<\/p>\n Flanagan said Atkinson was shifted to five-eighth because it suited his natural running game, but his days of calling the shots at halfback were far from over.<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel once we\u2019ve got to know Daniel more, we appreciate his strengths are his running game,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe can get the ball and not worry about organising the team \u2013 all he has to worry about is the people outside him.<\/p>\n \u201cKyle has done all the testing. He hasn\u2019t had any headaches, and our doctors have told me he\u2019ll be ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Shane Flanagan<\/p>\n \u201cDaniel wanted to come here and be the halfback. He had a good pre-season. He also hadn\u2019t had a lot of time in the NRL before he arrived, so with time he will only get better and grow in that space. He can still end up a halfback, but right now his best position is No.6.\u201d<\/p>\n Flanagan had resisted calls to fast-track local junior Reed, who caught the attention of fans during pre-season trials.<\/p>\n As late as last week, Flanagan warned that playing Reed before he was ready would harm his development<\/a>. But the youngster will be included on the bench and is an outside chance of debuting against the Sea Eagles, depending on what happens during the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve set Kade some goals and tasks to work on, and it\u2019s only a matter of time before he plays \u2013 he could even get on this week,\u201d Flanagan said. \u201cWhen he\u2019s ready, he\u2019ll get his opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n Speculation continues to grow about Flanagan\u2019s future after the club\u2019s winless start. The 32-0 loss to the Cowboys on the weekend was one of the worst the club had produced in recent memory.<\/p>\n Some of the recruitment decisions have been pinned on Flanagan, but he defended the signings of Gutherson and Damien Cook.<\/p>\n \u201cThose two have done an outstanding job for what we\u2019ve needed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"Kyle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0e7d2d24386bcd4c6ebcd65aefe8ef7397ad0b13.jpeg\")
Kyle Flanagan is taken from the field after being knocked out against the Titans.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Shane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/9a0a48b2f670c4ed280dc9da948f366c59da003d.jpeg\")
Shane Flanagan and son Kyle on the training field in Las Vegas.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/a2c86e8e313ebc722d76ec4aa27f471544b15812.jpeg\")
Daniel Atkinson will move to five-eighth against Manly.Getty Images<\/p>\n
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