{"id":615570,"date":"2026-04-18T18:26:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T18:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/615570\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T18:26:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T18:26:46","slug":"dragons-lose-to-rabbitohs-pressure-builds-on-coach-shane-flanagan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/615570\/","title":{"rendered":"Dragons lose to Rabbitohs, pressure builds on coach Shane Flanagan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Adrian<\/p>\n

April 18, 2026 \u2014 7:40pm<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s difficult to tell which hurt more.<\/p>\n

Was it losing Jacob Liddle in the warm-up? Being torched by former Dragon Matt Dufty? Conceding 10 points while a Rabbitoh was in the sin bin?<\/p>\n

\"KyleKyle Flanagan of the Dragons and his teammates look dejected during the match against the Rabbitohs.Getty Images<\/p>\n

Whatever the case, it was the same old story with a familiar ending. St George Illawarra, under coach Shane Flanagan, has become a tougher team to beat. But once again, they have been beaten.<\/p>\n

The latest loss, a 30-12 defeat to South Sydney at Accor Stadium, is their seventh straight to open the season, stretching the sequence to 11. It poses the question, yet again; is it Flanagan\u2019s last in charge?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt puts pressure on me and puts the club under pressure,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not winning footy games and I understand that. It\u2019s the business of winning and we\u2019re not winning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI go to work every day and all I can do is do my best, prepare the players the best I can<\/a>. If it doesn\u2019t work and they\u2019ve got to make a decision, I\u2019ve got to live with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like the previous match, when the club\u2019s merchandise van tipped over, there was drama before kick-off. The team sheets were finalised, to reveal that Damien Cook., the sole skipper in the absence of the injured Clint Gutherson, was dumped to the bench. Just as the guessing game began over who would be the captain in his absence, promoted dummy half Jacob Liddle was scratched in the warm-up. The same hamstring that cost him a trip to Vegas went on him again. Cook\u2019s demotion was the shortest in rugby league history.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Shane<\/a><\/p>\n

Valentine Holmes, Gutherson and Cook have been the most maligned Dragons during their dry spell. However, Cook made the most of his extended game time.<\/p>\n

The veteran rake\u2019s running game was back, scoring his side\u2019s first try after a wonderful offload from Toby Couchman. And then he set up Hamish Stewart with a trademark dart from dummy half.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s as good as it got for the cellar dweller. Latrell Mitchell gave Holmes an absolute bath. Not only did Mitchell score four tries, but got the better of every battle, on either side of the ball.<\/p>\n

Even still, the Red V was in the contest until the final 10 minutes. That was when Parramatta-bound firebrand Jaydn Su\u2019A\u2019s shoulder connected with the head of Cameron Murray. It left referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski with no choice. For the first time since round 22, 2024, a player was dismissed. His stint on the sidelines is expected to be a long one.<\/p>\n

\u201cDirect contact, shoulder to head,\u201d Przeklasa-Adamski said as he pointed to the stands. \u201cIt\u2019s a send off.\u201d<\/p>\n

And then there was Dufty. In his first NRL game in 1420 days, Dufty was a standout replacing injured fullback Jai Gray. Not only did he score a try, he ran for a staggering 324 metres. Each of them was a dagger in the heart of long-suffering Dragons fans.<\/p>\n

They got their first glimpse this year of Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga. After agitating for a release over his continued omission, the promising prop finally tasted first grade off the bench. That change wasn\u2019t enough to spark a victory. Perhaps another is required.<\/p>\n

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