New Leadership for the Dragons
Club legend Dean Young has been appointed as the interim coach for the St George Illawarra Dragons for the remainder of the 2026 season. This decision follows the departure of head coach Shane Flanagan and general manager of football Ben Haran. Young, who spent 10 seasons with the club as a player, is no stranger to the Dragons. He won a championship with them in 2010, served as an interim coach for six matches in 2020, and was an assistant under Flanagan.
Young now faces the daunting challenge of salvaging what remains of a season that has started with seven consecutive losses. The team’s performance has been a cause for concern, and the pressure is on for Young to turn things around.
“It’s a privilege to lead this club,” Young said. “This current group of players mean a lot to me. I want to support them through this transition. Our focus right now is staying connected as a team and being the best version of ourselves on Anzac Day.”
The Dragons’ chief executive, Tim Watsford, and chairman, Andrew Lancaster, addressed the media on Monday regarding Flanagan’s exit. At that time, no interim coach had been officially named. Watsford later released a statement highlighting Young’s deep connection with the club and his respect among players and staff.
“He has a deep connection to the Dragons and the respect of our players and staff. This appointment provides the football program with stability and leadership while the club undertakes a thorough process around its long-term coaching future. Our priority right now is to support Dean and the playing group as they restore consistency in our performance and ensure the standards of this club are upheld every day.”
Young will face a difficult test against the Roosters on Anzac Day, given the team’s winless start to the season. Flanagan’s departure makes him the second coach to leave this year, following Manly’s Anthony Seibold.
“I care deeply about this club and the playing group, and after discussions with the club, we agreed this was the right time for a change,” Flanagan said. “I’d like to thank the players, staff, members and fans for their support and I wish the club well for the future.”
The Dragons currently have the worst attacking record this season, scoring just 14 points per game. Club officials must make the right decisions moving forward to end a finals drought that dates back to 2018.
“These are not decisions anyone takes lightly,” Watsford said earlier in the day. “Shane and Ben have both worked hard for the club, and on behalf of the Dragons, I want to thank them for their efforts, professionalism and commitment during their time here. We wish Shane, Ben, and their families all the best for the future.”
“This is clearly a significant moment for the club. We understand the disappointment and frustration our members and our fans feel, and we know that results and performances have not met expectations for this proud club. Our focus now is what happens next.”
“First, this means providing stability for our playing group and our staff and supporting them through this transition. Secondly, it means making sure the team is as prepared as possible for the weeks ahead, starting this week with the Anzac Round clash against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.”
“The man who guided the Sharks to their drought-breaking premiership victory a decade ago will follow Sea Eagles counterpart Anthony Seibold, who was sacked after three winless matches, with his departure sparking an incredible turnaround.”
While finals are out of reach for the Dragons, fans hope that Flanagan’s departure can spark a similar turnaround for a proud club that has lost 11 matches in a row. Flanagan joined the Dragons in 2024 but only managed 19 wins in 55 games. Recruitment and retention have been major issues, with key players like Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax leaving the team.
The veteran coach signed a two-year extension last August, but the media release seemed to be more of a pipe dream than a realistic plan.
“This extension reaffirms the club’s commitment to stability, growth and a long-term vision for success both on and off the field,” the August 8 release read.
Dragons fans have grown increasingly frustrated with the club’s direction, especially with their recruitment strategy coming under scrutiny after the first seven rounds.
“There’s been a lot of media coverage over the Dragons these past few weeks,” Lancaster said. “A lot of it was absolutely deserved. Some of it was poor, and some of it was about personal agendas.”
Valentine Holmes missed 13 tackles against Souths on the weekend, Daniel Atkinson hasn’t registered a try assist in his past three games, while it’s unclear whether Clint Gutherson will play fullback when he returns from injury. Star edge forward Jaydn Su’A was sent off on Saturday and is facing a lengthy ban, while he won’t even be at the club next year after agreeing to join the Eels.
The Dragons have also had to deal with disgruntled young players like Loko Pasifiki Tonga, whose request for an early release was knocked back earlier this month and led to his management leaking emails to the media.
The decision can’t be easy on Kyle Flanagan, who has had to watch his dad lose his job while at the same time deal with public criticism over his attacking output in the halves.
“Kyle is a contracted player through to the end of 2027. And yes, we’ll provide every means possible to support Kyle,” Watsford said. “And as we happen, we’ll continue to support Shane. To Andrew’s point, it hasn’t been overly great in terms of how they’ve both been treated, but we’ll continue to wrap our arms around him as a club and move forward.”
