The true story behind Valentine Holmes’ dismal performance in the match that ultimately sealed Shane Flanagan’s fate has come to light – and it’s unrelated to the turbulent situation at the club.
Holmes recorded a staggering 10 missed tackles during the 30-12 defeat against South Sydney on Saturday night, an outcome that marked the end of Flanagan’s tenure at the Dragons.
The current Queensland State of Origin representative allowed Latrell Mitchell to score four tries, largely due to his lacklustre defending, and faced backlash from Dragons supporters who took to social media to accuse him of not putting in the effort.
However, a source within the Dragons has disclosed to Wide World of Sports that Holmes was carrying a painful leg injury into the game and was unable to perform at his usual speed.
Valentine Holmes runs onto the field for the Dragons against the Rabbitohs in round seven, 2026. NRL Images
“Looking back, he perhaps shouldn’t have played, but he wanted to contribute to the team and try to contain Latrell,” the source commented.
“Val believed it was better to have him on the field than to risk a rookie against a player of Latrell’s calibre.”
“Unfortunately, Souths had a lot of possession and Latrell was in fine form.”
“Val had a (pain-relieving) injection before the match, but it didn’t provide any relief.”
“He’s not making excuses for his performance – he recognises he was under par – but now you understand the reason.”
On Sunday morning, Flanagan, who has a long-standing relationship with Holmes, was informed by the Dragons board that he would be dismissed, with the official announcement of his departure made on Monday.
The Dragons have now suffered 11 consecutive losses and find themselves at the bottom of the NRL ladder, firmly entrenched in a crisis.
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