- Dragons run out of patience after horror 11-match losing streak
Shane Flanagan’s tenure as St George Illawarra coach has come to a sudden end, with the club confirming his departure after a disastrous start to the 2026 season that has triggered a sweeping internal cleanout.
Flanagan was informed on Sunday that his contract would be terminated, despite having signed an extension late last year, with the decision rubber-stamped at a press conference on Monday morning.
The move follows an 11-game losing streak stretching back into 2025, with the Dragons yet to record a win this season and slumping to seven straight defeats to open their 2026 campaign.
While club officials publicly framed the exit as a “mutual agreement”, the scale of the fallout has made it clear the Dragons are embarking on a broader overhaul of their football department.
General Manager of Football Ben Haran has also departed, with the club confirming his exit came under similar circumstances as part of the same reset.
Flanagan had been under mounting pressure for weeks, with poor results and performances placing both him and the club under scrutiny. After the latest defeat, he acknowledged the situation facing the team.
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‘Of course it puts pressure on. It puts me and the club under pressure,’ Flanagan said.
‘We’re not winning footy games and I understand that. It’s a business of winning and we’re not winning.
‘I get to work every day and all I can do is do my best to prepare the players the best I can, and if it doesn’t work and they decide to make another decision, well I’ve just got to live with it.’
Despite that public stance, Flanagan had earlier insisted he was prepared to fight to turn the club’s fortunes around before the decision was made to move on.
In a statement released following his departure, Flanagan said: ‘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.
‘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 have not yet confirmed who will take charge on an interim basis, although assistant coaches Dean Young and Michael Ennis are the leading candidates to step in as the club scrambles to stabilise the situation ahead of their Anzac Day clash with the Roosters.
Young is widely expected to assume control in the short term, having long been viewed as a future head coach, but there are indications the club may look elsewhere when it comes to a permanent appointment.
Ben Hornby and Brad Arthur have already emerged as serious contenders for the full-time role, with both seen as experienced options capable of leading a rebuild at a club that has now hit crisis point.
Chief executive Tim Watsford confirmed the club would now begin a broader review of its football operations as it searches for a long-term solution.
‘We will undertake a thorough process regarding the future of the football department, including the appointment of a permanent NRL Coach. We will do that carefully, efficiently, and with the long-term interests of the Dragons at the centre of every decision,’ Watsford said.
‘Our focus now is on providing stability for the playing group and staff, supporting everyone through this transition, and ensuring the team is as prepared as possible for the weeks ahead.’
Flanagan becomes the second NRL coach dismissed this season, following Manly’s decision to part ways with Anthony Seibold earlier in the year.
With results continuing to slide and senior figures already exiting the club, the Dragons’ reset appears far from over as they brace for further changes in the weeks ahead.
