'Return to NRL not ruled out'

CHRIS Flannery has not ruled out a return to the NRL after finishing his commitments with Super League club St Helens next year.

CHRIS Flannery has not ruled out a return to the NRL after finishing his commitments with Super League club St Helens next year.

Flannery, who has lost the last four Super League grand finals, says he will reassess his options when his contract expires at the end of 2011.

The Kawana product is holidaying on the Sunshine Coast at the moment and told the Daily he could play on in 2012.

“I’ve got another 12 months and then I’ll see how things pan out and how the body’s holding up,” the 31-year-old said.

“I’m not really thinking about the NRL at this stage but you never say never.

“It’s good to see Casey’s (McGuire, Coast product) going back to Parramatta.

“He was playing really well in the Super League and he’ll do well there.

“I’ll probably do another year and then see how things are.

“The NRL’s getting pretty young these days, so it’ll be good to see how Case goes.”

Flannery has come to terms with his uncanny ability to lose grand finals.

After all, the Kawana product has played in six losing sides in the past eight years.

He won an NRL title with the Sydney Roosters in 2002 before losing to Penrith and Canterbury in 2003 and 2004. He joined St Helens in 2007, lost three grand finals in a row to Leeds before going down to Wigan this year.

While his record of making grand finals is impeccable, Flannery said there was nothing he could do but laugh at how they have panned out.

“I was talking to Ash Robinson (former local league president) and he said all he can do is laugh and he’s right,” he said.

“It’s disappointing but it’s just one of those things. We over-achieved to make the grand final this year.”

Originally published as 'Return to NRL not ruled out'