Andrew Johns slams Kyle Flanagan critics, dad leaps to NRL star’s defence

Andrew Johns has blasted Kyle Flanagan’s critics and even dad jumped in after being blindsided by news the Roosters want to axe the halfback.

Andrew Johns says Kyle Flanagan deserves more time to develop.

NRL legend Andrew Johns has blasted Kyle Flanagan’s critics as the young playmaker’s dad also leapt to his defence.

Flanagan has come under fire after the Roosters’ loss to Canberra in last weekend’s semi-final ended their hopes of a premiership three-peat.

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The 22-year-old has just completed his first full season of first grade — after playing nine games for Cronulla across 2018 and 2019 — but he may already be on the lookout for a new club.

Reports emerged this week the Roosters want to move Flanagan on after his contract expires at the end of 2021 as the tri-colours seek a new No. 7 to pilot them towards another premiership.

Lachlan Lam and Sam Walker have been earmarked as potential candidates to partner five-eighth Luke Keary in the halves going forward.

The Bulldogs have been touted as a possible destination for Flanagan, who had big shoes to fill when he arrived at Bondi to replace retired champion Cooper Cronk.

Two-time premiership winner Johns believes Flanagan had a solid season and claimed criticism of him is way off the mark.

“Everyone knocking Kyle Flanagan, I think he’s had a really strong year,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ Freddy & the Eighth.

“Go and watch Johnathan Thurston when he was 20, watch myself when I was 20, go watch Cooper Cronk — he was coming off the bench playing dummy-half.

“It takes so long to try to master the halfback position.

“People are being too tough on Kyle Flanagan and the people who are being tough on him don’t know what they’re talking about.

“I don’t understand it (the criticism).”

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Flanagan is on the hunt for a new club.

Kyle’s dad Shane Flanagan, the 2016 premiership-winning coach of the Sharks, also stood up for his son and revealed the halfback was “gutted” and “upset” by news the Roosters were planning to punt him.

“For me he had a really good season and he played well in that last game,” Shane told The Daily Telegraph.

“I thought he busted his a**e for his first year of NRL this year.

“If you play halfback at the Roosters you are going to get criticised sometimes. But I just thought it was a little bit unwarranted.”

Flanagan played through the pain of a shoulder injury that required painkilling injections at halftime of the Roosters’ two-point loss to the Raiders, but that toughness won’t be enough to earn him a new deal.

Johns says Flanagan would be a good fit at the Bulldogs should he end up there, while his brother, former Newcastle star Matty, suggested a move to Belmore would suit the halfback because he won’t be under the same weight of expectation he is at the Roosters.