NRL 2023: Why Cameron Ciraldo holds the key to Kyle Flanagan’s NRL future
Very few players have been as maligned as Kyle Flanagan, but the halfback goes into 2023 with the full backing of coach Cameron Ciraldo. And it all started with one simmple question.
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Twelve months ago the writing was on the wall, or rather on the sidelines, for Canterbury playmaker Kyle Flanagan.
Seemingly on the outer, Flanagan found himself an observer, watching the first grade team go about their pre-season business from the sideline.
Once again fuelling the flames of speculation about his future at Belmore.
This time around, with the full backing of new coach Cameron Ciraldo, Flanagan has been the man calling the shots over the summer.
That show of faith from Ciraldo has also come with a sense of clarity for the first time since the 24-year joined the club in 2021.
“Day one pre-season, I came in with a growth mindset. I wanted to improve, firstly as a person, and improve as a player. I came in here feeling confident since I had spoken to Ciro and I knew what my role was going to be in the footy team,” Flanagan said.
WHO IS KYLE FLANAGAN
In that off-season chat with Ciraldo, the coach posed an existential question that forced Flanagan to re-think his approach to what was now a 62-game NRL career: ‘Who is Kyle Flanagan?’
“The biggest thing for me this pre-season is working out what Kyle Flanagan looks like,” he said
“And that is training hard, finding out what works best for me and what are my strengths … and not trying to go out there on the weekend in an NRL game and try and play like someone else.
“But play to my strengths, that’s being a controlled head, controlling the football team. I feel like I have worked out what suits me. Ciro has helped instil that confidence in me, and I want to repay the faith he has shown.”
KYLE, NOT COOPER
Playing like someone else, even if that someone was Dally M winner and premiership winning halfback Cooper Cronk, wasn’t serving Flanagan and Ciraldo made sure to put a stop to it.
“I was trying to emulate the halfbacks in the game, like Cooper Cronk,” Flanagan said.
“You try to do some things he did but that might not be the best thing for you or the football team.
“I’m not saying that it‘s the wrong thing. But I have tried to work out my own identity and bring my own personality to the team and that can benefit the team, with me playing a free flowing game, playing the way I want to play rather than emulate someone else.
“I also want to be open, grow and open to criticism from coaches and football staff. I have been an open book this pre-season so I can take my game to the next level.”
STILL STANDING
Flanagan has worn his fair share of criticism since arriving at Belmore. That he wasn’t the right player to guide the struggling team around. There were the never ending rumours that the club was trying to move him on, to being unceremoniously axed in from the side in 2021 and then being entirely excluded from training.
“It’s something I can be proud of, that I preserved through the roller coaster. I’d like to think my perseverance, and the hard work I put in, has got me to where I am today and has set me up for a good season,” Flanagan said.
CONTRACT CAPERS
Flanagan confirmed he rejected a move to the Super League last season and has no desire to make the switch to England just yet.
The off-contract halfback knows the only way to guarantee an extension at Belmore is to take his game to the next level.
The club is already looking to shore up its halves into the future having signed freakish playmaker Karl Oloapu for the next four years.
“I feel like I have always had the mentality of backing myself,” Flanagan said.
“I know the footy I can play, the best footy I can play and that is definitely ahead of me.
“I have been improving each week and adding layers to my game. “I am focused on staying in Australia”
SIXES AND SEVENS
Key to Flanagan’s success will be his combination with five-eighth star Matt Burton. The duo have had limited time to fine tune their connection with Burton having spent part of the pre-season on World Cup duties.
But there was a silver lining for Flanagan.
“When he was away it was a good time for me to own the team and form my own combinations and find my voice in the team,” Flanagan revealed.
The two are making up for lost time when they carpool to and from training each day.
“We like hanging out off the field, on the jetskis out on the water. We carpool to and from training,” Flanagan said.
“I pick the playlist because I feel like I’m picking him up more than he does me. He likes a bit of a sleep in.
“It’s valuable time we spend together on the way to and from training just breaking things down.
“It has really strengthened the connection between us, and also the spine.”
REVEALED: THE MOST HYPED BULLDOGS ROOKIE SINCE SBW
—Paul Crawley
He is one of the most hyped and proudly produced Bulldogs juniors to emerge in years, with some going as far as to declare there hasn’t been a more anticipated rookie to wear Canterbury colours since Sonny Bill Williams arrived on the scene like a cyclone in 2004.
That was the same year Bulldogs young gun Paul Alamoti was born.
And here we are 19 years down the track and another hulking thunderbolt is ready to stake his claim for NRL fame.
New coach Cameron Ciraldo has wasted no time making clear his intentions for this muscled up teenager who has caused havoc at the junior rep levels.
Alamoti has been named in the centres for Sunday’s trial against Canberra ahead of the season when he is expected to cement his spot in the top grade.
He is a Milperra Colts junior who went to school at Marists Brothers Kogarah, (the same school as another local made good Josh Reynolds), while Alamoti still lives at home with his father Moti and three siblings at Riverwood.
That’s where this teenager is apparently as happy helping with the cooking and cleaning duties as he is demolishing opposition defences with his wrecking ball style of play that has already earned plenty of adulation. He also scored an impressive HSC result.
Bulldogs fans haven’t exactly had an abundance of local juniors to cheer in recent times, but the hype around Alamoti looks legitimate.
The Bulldogs boast a star-studded list of youngsters who have debuted for the club in the 2000s, but few have been fair dinkum home grown talent like this bloke.
The honour roll of the Bulldogs most celebrated rookies to emerge in the 2000s includes mostly imported talent.
Braith Anasta (2000) was a Souths junior, Johnathan Thurston (2002) a Queenslander, Roy Asotasi (2002) another Kiwi like SBW (2004), Ben Barba (2008) another Queenslander, Jamal Idris (2008) came down from Forster early, while Reynolds (2011) was locally produced, and David Klemmer (2013) signed as a 15-year-old from the All Saints Toongabbie Tigers.
News Corp revealed a couple of years ago how Roosters supremo Nick Politis was sitting with Alamoti’s agent David Riolo and former Rooster Mitch Aubusson at a SG Ball match.
That day Alamoti pretty much beat up the young Chooks on his own, scoring two tries and setting up a couple more.
At that time Alamoti was still young enough to be playing Harold Matthews Cup.
But while Politis was understandably impressed with what he saw as he walked away chatting to Riolo, the reality is that it was nothing more than an innocent catch up, with Aubusson also one of Riolo’s long-term clients.
But it certainly got the tongues of the Bulldogs’ faithful wagging, and the club’s honchos more than a little nervous, because within days they’d locked him up to a longer and more lucrative contract.
Alamoti then got thrown into a NRL trial against Newcastle last year ahead of his time but was towelled up by veteran Dane Gagai.
But this time round he is a year older although still young enough to be eligible for SG Ball but you just have to look at his physical presence to know he won’t be manhandled any longer.
The mail is considered a certainty to lock down a centre position this season if he stays healthy.
Alamoti did have an injury troubled 2022 season but finished strongly, with good judges adamant he looked more than ready to take the next step.
Mase on his player to watch for the upcoming season – Paul Alamoti 🔥
— Bulldogs Kennel (@BulldogsKennel) January 19, 2023
[via @yktrsports] pic.twitter.com/VbE0ekEIL6
CIRALDO BRINGS PRODIGAL SON BACK FOR BULLDOGS TRIAL
- David Riccio
Canterbury’s new-era under Cameron Ciraldo will begin with the return after five years of club favourite Josh Reynolds.
The Bulldogs first hitout under rookie coach Ciraldo against the Raiders in Moruya on Sunday will also include a first-look at Eels recruit Hayze Perham at fullback.
Reynolds, who signed a one-year deal with the club last week, will play his first game in Dogs colours since 2017 at five-eighth alongside starting halfback Kyle Flanagan.
Unlike this time last year, Flanagan’s position in the playmaking role is assured following an outstanding pre-season.
Reynolds will start in the halves due to co-captain Matt Burton being rested.
High-profile recruit Viliame Kikau will also be rested, while power forward Tevita Pangai Jr won’t feature due to a niggling calf complaint.
Jake Averillo and Paul Alamoti will start in the centres while Raiders recruit and hard-running prop Ryan Sutton will tackle his former club in the trial.
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