The next two months are going to teach Dragons coach Shane Flanagan who his friends are in the game as he deals with increasingly negative publicity about his handling of his halfback son, Kyle.
After Saturday night’s win over the Eels, the Dragons’ draw gets significantly tougher, with seven of their final 10 matches against teams in the top eight. Flanagan snr is also dealing with a delicate situation with his son – one that has received increasing exposure as the Dragons strive to find consistency.
There is also another significant issue in the background that if it emerges will cause huge problems for the club.
For now, the problem for Shane is that he has hitched his wagon to his former employer at Fox Sports. They have been cheerleading for him for years, but the tone of the coverage has changed significantly since he dumped Lachlan Ilias to reserve grade.
It was a fair call at the time, but now Ilias has been playing well, winning seven of eight starts in the No.7 jersey for the club’s NSW Cup side, which sits second on the ladder. Despite that, he has been unable to get a look-in as a potential first-grader again.
During the week, Ilias’ agent and NRL 360 host, Braith Anasta, warned that failure to select an in-form player can lead to trouble internally at a club.
How long can Shane Flanagan (right) back his son Kyle?Credit: NRL Photos
Anasta’s colleagues on Fox Sports have also been pushing for Ilias to be selected in the top grade.
The attacks on Shane and, to a lesser extent, Kyle are ramping up. It’s hard not to feel for them as people, but they have been poorly advised in decisions they’ve made on how to handle things publicly and privately.
Winning will fix this issue in the short-term and last night was a start. But the problem for Flanagan snr is that the same people who didn’t want him to coach the Dragons in the first place certainly haven’t changed their minds.
In fairness to the Dragons, Flanagan was the best option available at the time. They needed to sign a coach with experience and Flanagan has won a competition with the Sharks.
The pressure is mounting on Shane Flanagan.Credit: Getty Images
The next few weeks may determine whether any request to extend his contract, which ends in 2027, is looked at favourably. At this point, he has not asked for one.
All of this is happening while the Dragons have an obvious first-grade coach in their midst in assistant Dean Young, and up the road at South Sydney there is someone with the pedigree and development they need – the increasingly confident Ben Hornby.
There is no evidence the Dragons are sounding out other coaches, though.
The immediate issue for coach Flanagan are his comments defending Kyle in the News Corp press.
Lachlan Ilias has been in great form in the NSW Cup, but can’t get a start in the top grade.Credit: NRL Photos
“To say Kyle is under pressure is ridiculous,” Flanagan said. “He’s been among our best players all year. It’s not me, ask the other players and coaches. I’m probably harder on Kyle than any other player.”
Those comments have gone down badly with those close to him at the club. Those who understand the media game told Flanno it would be a bad idea to make such statements.
There was speculation the board was not impressed, but that has been denied.
However, sections of the playing group certainly don’t agree with Flanagan’s appraisal and defence of his son. The quotes above have been talked about by members of the Dragons playing group and also by former players who have been in contact with the current group.
Dean Young (left) and Ben Hornby have great pedigrees at the Dragons.Credit: NRL Photos
It was brought to my attention by those close to the players, and I was asked to make it clear that they have not been well received.
This columnist was even confronted by some at the Dragons after I said I felt sorry for Kyle. I was reminded that he’s on a salary that he would not get at any other club, playing in a position that he would not be playing at any other club.
I’ve also been told that former Dragons half Ben Hunt found it uncomfortable playing with Kyle. Some players have made comments about enjoying playing on the other side of the field to him. And other players are upset by the number of player of the match awards he’s received from the coaching staff.
PVL defends son’s role in video game group
NRL boss Peter V’landys has defended placing his son in a focus group to approve the code’s newest video game, which is due to be launched next month.
The game, Rugby League 26, is yet to be ticked off on or even promoted, and V’landys makes no apologies for bringing his family into the process. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has also been linked to the process, and he is fuming on behalf of both men at questions over their involvement.
They see it as an attempt to imply they are overstepping their roles and are going to launch an investigation into how this sensitive information made it into this column.
I put information to V’landys and Abdo that detailed the use of focus groups to assess the game, which is due to be launched on July 17. Those with knowledge of the process, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, told this column that V’landys wanted to show the game to his family and have that as part of the rigorous testing process before it could be approved and then launched.
“Persons that are saying this rubbish are either being mischievous or running an agenda,” V’landys said. “We simply wanted a rigorous analysis by an independent focus group where my son would be one of many as he plays the other sports games. We want the game to be the best in the market, so we want an honest analysis not a confected one.”
Peter V’landys (left) with Andrew Abdo.Credit: NRL Photos
Abdo said: “Stakeholder focus group testing is a normal part of the quality control testing process to ensure the best possible user experience.”
V’landys considers these kinds of video games to be a big part of growing rugby league, citing the popularity of similar NBA and FIFA games. He explained that video games introduce young people to a sport they may not know a lot about, hopefully creating new fans for the code.
We contacted the boss of the company, Big Ant Studios, that has developed the game and put questions to him about the influence of the NRL bosses on the product. Those queries were promptly shut down and I was referred to the NRL.
It is fair to say the hunt is now on to discover how this information became public.
Bellamy key in Origin III
Whatever Craig Bellamy is being paid by the NSW Rugby League, he’ll be worth every cent during the next 10 days.
He is the man who can help Laurie Daley overcome any post-traumatic Origin syndrome that he may have as he approaches the biggest game of his coaching career. Daley wants this win badly.
He has some wrongs to right in Origin and the key for him is to maintain the calm yet inspiring demeanour he has displayed to the players in private.
This is very much Daley’s Blues team, but don’t underestimate the importance of Bellamy and his right-hand man at state and club level, Frank Ponissi, as the Blues get ready for the decider.
Laurie Daley has some ghosts from Origins past.Credit: NRL Photos
Bellamy has been in the background and has largely avoided media requests because he knows this is Daley’s side. But Bellamy is more attuned to the high pressure and cut and thrust of big games, and the preparation that is required at such times.
It is exactly why Daley put his ego aside and made Bellamy the top priority on his coaching staff when he wanted to get the state job back.
Daley would not be human if he didn’t think about the close calls in his first coaching stint at the Blues, when his team lost narrowly in big games against the greatest Queensland side of all time.
Daley won just six of 15 games in that first stint, but many of those losses were heartbreakingly close, and it could easily have been a very different story. Those losses do not sit well with Daley, and as one of the proudest men in Blues history, this is an opportunity for redemption that he does not want to let slip.
He will need to channel that in the right way and Bellamy – the coach’s coach – has a vital role to play in that.
NRL fears record invasion
Souths boss Blake Solly will have meetings with Alex Johnston, his manager, Steve Gillis, and the NRL to discuss a range of options to celebrate the Rabbitohs winger’s looming try-scoring record.
Johnston scored four tries against the Storm last weekend to move to 206, just six shy of Ken Irvine’s once seemingly untouchable try-scoring record of 212. He didn’t cross for a four-pointer in Saturday night’s loss to the Dolphins.
Alex Johnston goes over for the Rabbitohs to close in on the record.Credit: Getty Images
One thing the NRL doesn’t want to happen is for fans to run onto the field to celebrate the moment. How they stop that is another matter.
Central character
I’m not into rappers, but this guy must be a big deal. Central Cee has 15 million followers on Instagram and Bulldogs star Bronson Xerri was quick to post this pic after the match against the Panthers.
Rapper Central Cee with Bronson Xerri.Credit: Instagram
According to Wikipedia, Cee is UK rapper Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, and he’s a big deal. I’ll take their word for it.
Sorry state of affairs
Ryan Hoffman was always an honourable and decent bloke to deal with in the media, but his defence of Billy Slater, while well-meaning, was poorly thought out.
Queensland coach Slater apologised for referencing the late Maroons mentor Paul Green in a press conference where he linked Green’s death to public criticism of coaches. He was responding to comments made on radio by Aaron Woods.
Hoffman was angry Woods called Slater a grub. But he then upped the name-calling, labelling Woods – his NSW teammate in the Blues’ 2014 series victory – a “coward” on the ABC’s Offsiders program. It destroyed his credibility in the argument, giving Woods another victory.
Misstep: Maroons coach Billy Slater.Credit: Getty Images
There has been some speculation that Slater was advised by Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin to apologise to Green’s wife, Amanda. It was coming from good sources, but we have checked it out and have been told it was Slater’s idea alone. Which is a good thing, as it shows he is truly sorry for what he said. We have been told the apology was as heartfelt as it gets.
Ikin’s blue comes up trumps
Speaking of Ikin, he got the surprise of his life when he arrived at his Perth hotel for Origin II. The first person he bumped into was NSW coach Laurie Daley, who said, “What are you doing here?”
Ikin had booked himself into the Blues’ team hotel. He was one of the few happy guests on Thursday morning after Queensland’s surprise 26-24 win.
Cobbo backers go quiet
The apologists for Selwyn Cobbo have gone quiet in recent times as he embarks on an effort to re-establish his football career at the Dolphins. In fact, his chief cheerleader Gorden Tallis is now suggesting Cobbo and coach Michael Maguire had a personality clash.
We will take Tallis at his word regarding Maguire, but it’s worth noting that Tallis has it in for Maguire after he sacked him from a job at South Sydney.
Maguire chose not to have Tallis as part of his coaching set-up when he took over at the Rabbitohs in late 2011. Tallis had a role at the club before Maguire’s arrival.
Tallis is the same person who has raged at our revelation last year that Cobbo and the Queensland coaching staff were not on the same page. It is worth noting Cobbo has not played for the Maroons since our revelations and is now in the Queensland Cup.
Selwyn Cobbo has signed with the Dolphins after a tough time with the Broncos.Credit: NRL Photos
When we made those comments about Cobbo, a member of the Queensland coaching staff pulled me aside to say that I didn’t understand Indigenous footballers. That was both racist and an admission that things had not gone smoothly in camp for Queensland with Cobbo.
Cobbo is an introverted young man who is happier sitting in front of a PlayStation at home than being in the public eye. He is lifted by the love of his family and weighed down by an expectation to provide for them.
Now that Tallis is telling the world that Cobbo may not be every coach’s cup of tea, it stacks up to the issues we touched on last year. His issues at Queensland are very similar to the ones at the Broncos, in that his commitment to doing the small things that separate good footballers from great ones is not there.
It also explains why the Broncos were only willing to offer Cobbo half of his current salary to stay at the club, and they had not prioritised his signing.
Cobbo’s teammate Billy Walters said publicly that the talented utility back needs to find his love for football again, which is something everybody in the game hopes will happen as he is a rare talent when he is fully focused on the task of being a professional footballer.
Jarome Luai being rescued from the water last year.Credit: Nikki Short
Will Luai jump back in deep end?
The Blues will head to URBNSURF again this week. You’ll remember that Jarome Luai got into some serious trouble in the wave pool last year. It was concerning to see, but Luai turned it into a good story by later promoting water safety.
All eyes will be on be Luai if he gets back in the water when they return this week.
Luai was also man enough to face the media that day despite his drama in the water. Luai then provided the Blues with the space and spark that led to Bradman Best’s series-winning try.
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