With Payne Haas and Tom Trbojevic likely sidelined for the NSW Blues in Origin I, coach Laurie Daley faces another setback following Dean Young’s appointment as the interim coach for the Dragons.
On Nine’s 100% Footy, reporter Danny Weidler noted that the Blues’ assistant coach for 2025 was expected to resume his position, although that now appears uncertain.
“If he is leading the Dragons organisation, I don’t see how that will be feasible,” he stated.
Dragons interim coach Dean Young alongside assistant Shane Flanagan. Getty
Young’s promotion follows Shane Flanagan’s departure from the Dragons by mutual consent, after a string of seven consecutive losses to start the season.
Initially, Dragons officials were unable to announce the interim coach during a press conference on Monday, only confirming it was Young later that evening.
In the interim, a report from News Corp suggested the club had made the decision to cancel Tuesday’s training session.
Watch the 2026 NRL season live and free on Nine and 9Now.
However, CEO Tim Watsford has since clarified that this information was “fabricated”.
“That’s probably the most disappointing thing I’ve seen recently. This was discussed after the game on Saturday with our high-performance manager regarding how the week was shaping up,” he stated on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio.
“We’re planning to head to camp at Brighton on Friday ahead of Anzac Day, so we thought the lads could use a break on Tuesday. The notion that we had cancelled training is completely fabricated; that came up after the game.”
Young is set to lead his first training session as head coach on Wednesday, aiming to impress Dragons management enough to secure the permanent position.
100% Footy is now available as a podcast! Subscribe/follow via Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts
Watsford confirmed that Young is “in contention” but stated that the club will “cast a wide net” in search of Flanagan’s long-term replacement.
Reportedly, the complications surrounding Young’s appointment stemmed from divides within the Dragons’ board, as mentioned by Weidler.
“Not everyone at the Dragons is a fan of Dean Young … particularly the Illawarra faction of the St George Illawarra merger, while the St George side appears to support him,” he remarked on 100% Footy.
Dean Young. Getty
Gould questioned Young’s choice amidst this internal struggle.
“Why would he take this on? He’s had the interim role with the Dragons previously and has been overlooked for head coaching positions more than once. What would motivate him to step back into that situation?” he queried.
Daley also provided a caution to Young regarding the role, highlighting the potential for leaks against him.
One of Young’s primary tasks with the Dragons will be to rejuvenate the team’s struggling attack.
Flanagan’s son Kyle along with five-eighth Daniel Atkinson have faced the most scrutiny, with Andrew Johns advocating for one of them to be dropped over the weekend on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
Weidler disclosed that prior to the Dragons’ last face-off with the Rabbitohs, there were whispers that Flanagan was set to be appointed captain if Damien Cook were unable to play.
The mounting pressure on Shane Flanagan stemmed from his son’s performance and his continued selection.
The 27-year-old was among numerous signings made under the former coach, which also included seasoned players like Cook, Clint Gutherson, and Valentine Holmes.
Gould characterised some recruitment choices as “quick fixes”, a sentiment that extended to previous coach Anthony Griffin. He remarked that whenever a coach is dismissed, it signifies a failure at the club.
“All aspects of your operation require scrutiny, and as I mentioned last week, the club must take a step back and honestly evaluate how they reached this point,” he stated.
“In recent times, both Shane and Anthony Griffin have sought instant solutions because their careers and reputations were on the line, likely believing that immediate victories would quiet the critics, but that has proven ineffective, as it always does.”
Gould cited a “welfare issue” as part of the reasons for Flanagan’s dismissal, noting that the club’s ongoing problems weren’t improving.
“The situation was deteriorating, which benefits no one,” he said.
Flanagan wasn’t the only one to exit the club on Monday; long-serving general manager Ben Haran was also let go.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
