It’s been over three weeks since St Helens confirmed that Paul Rowley had left the club, with news of his dismissal coming just a day before the derby against Wigan Warriors, and now the Super League side have been linked with an ex-NRL coach.

Rowley left just nine months into a three-year contract and the discourse since his departure has focused on how much of a rebuild St Helens need in and around their identity, part of which will surely be lost this year if and when they fail to make the play-offs.

That’s something that they had previously done in every Super League season, and per chairman Eamonn McManus, something that the club had done in every league format dating back to 1962.

Six points back with poor points difference and just five games to go, Saints’ streak is set to come to an end and they’ll need a strong head coach to lead them forward in 2027.

It’s now been reported by The Daily Telegraph in Australia that former St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan could be that man, with the axed boss ‘sounded out’ over the role.

The Wheels Have Fallen Off At Castleford! Huddersfield Giants Leaving Town In £10M Stadium Move?! – Click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show!

St Helens reportedly circle Flanagan as coaching option

Flanagan, 60, has plenty of experience as a head coach and as an assistant with the Australian having coached 240 NRL games.

Most Read on Serious About Rugby League

The last of those came in April when he was sacked by St George Ilawarra Dragons after they lost the first seven matches of the season, having finished the 2015 season in 15th with just eight wins to their name.

Over two separate spells as Cronulla head coach, amassing 185 games, Flanagan found plenty of success, including in 2016 when the Sharks won the NRL Grand Final.

That’s what St Helens will be keen to bring to the BrewDog Stadium if they’re to appoint the 60-year-old, who has moved into the media since his April axing.

Per The Daily Telegraph, Flanagan has been ‘shortlisted to replace Paul Rowley as Saints scour the coaching market’, with Eamonn McManus previously outlining Saints’ need to be sure in their appointment.

He told Sky Sports ahead of the club’s recent loss to Hull FC: “I’ve been blown away by the number and calibre of approaches that we’ve had.

“Regardless of the season we’ve had, we’re still St Helens, we’re still a leading name in rugby league, we are, we always will be. We’re now narrowing the search down to four or five shortlists and we’ll conduct the requisites interviews.

“We are going to get a new coach. We’re going to be very detailed, very careful. We will not rush it. We’ll get the right person and we know that the team needs to be improved. So that’s the priority.”