Inside Shane's Brain!!

[Bayside Dragon]

Hi everyone, this is a thread for those of us who enjoy trying to second guess our coach's mind.

As a preface for my own thoughts on what might be going on in Shane's brain -I'm openly a huge fan of his appointment and what he has done in his time with us. Definitely on the Shane Train.

I know I haven't posted for a few years now, but I can assure you all that in that time, I study this forum at least 8 times a day. Devour every media piece that I can from multiple sauces..... as I'm sure others are doing, too.

In that time, it's only now that I see enough in this club & football squad to have my adrenaline move me to start posting again.

And I put that down to two words ........"Shane Flanagan". Let's face it folks....he is the face of the Dragons!

This guy is way more than just the head coach of a football team. The more I study him the more I appreciate and (hopefully) understand him. And that gives me curiosity enough to start this thread.

In the absence of others truly understanding their roles, Flano is resolutely going about whatever needs doing to make the Dragons a powerhouse club for the modern era. I think that's his vision. He dreams of way more than a winning footie side......

And I think he just might have the smarts to pull it off.

 

[blue bags]

A I

 

[Dragon David]

Hi everyone, this is a thread for those of us who enjoy trying to second guess our coach's mind.

As a preface for my own thoughts on what might be going on in Shane's brain -I'm openly a huge fan of his appointment and what he has done in his time with us. Definitely on the Shane Train.

I know I haven't posted for a few years now, but I can assure you all that in that time, I study this forum at least 8 times a day. Devour every media piece that I can from multiple sauces..... as I'm sure others are doing, too.

In that time, it's only now that I see enough in this club & football squad to have my adrenaline move me to start posting again.

And I put that down to two words ........"Shane Flanagan". Let's face it folks....he is the face of the Dragons!

This guy is way more than just the head coach of a football team. The more I study him the more I appreciate and (hopefully) understand him. And that gives me curiosity enough to start this thread.

In the absence of others truly understanding their roles, Flano is resolutely going about whatever needs doing to make the Dragons a powerhouse club for the modern era. I think that's his vision. He dreams of way more than a winning footie side......

And I think he just might have the smarts to pull it off.

A good thread to start Bayside Dragon and your thoughts are well put. There should be plenty of posts for this thread as time rolls on into 2025 and beyond.

I think that Flano has put a lot of thought into how he wants the Dragons to be resurrected and become an ongoing successful club well into the future.

If 2025 is a good year, he will be able to get his players playing the way that will keep us winning in 2026 and so on and attract a couple of external players to augment our squad which will in my opinion consist of plenty of local boys who have been given the opportunity to learn and experience the winning systems that will be in place for them.

Flano's brain is filled with the dreams we all share and that is to win a comp.

 

[SnowDragon]

I have a few questions re Shane’s brain
1) with Atkinson coming in 26, and LKT having made a decent start last year, there will be heaps of pressure on the 25 halves of Illias and Kyle. 4 doesn’t go into 2. Does he have A master plan? Or just seeing what happens and having options?
2) I wonder what he has planned for Finau? Heard nothing so wondering if he is on the outer? Feels to me like we will end up with Sloan and Lawson this year, but SF seems to be a big fan of CT, and he performed well last year, so the whole winger thing feels lie an unknown both in 25 and beyond?
3) there is no top quality props on the market. I assume SF is keeping the spot and cap just in case, bit I don’t expect to get anyone worthwhile, and this we will end up promoting a train and trial or something along those lines. Anyone feel different?
4) SF talked about the younger steers coming along and that they will get blooded this year. I owner who they will be, and if any get more than a token game? Who will star?

 

[Divine]

Questions Questions Questions flooding into the mind of the concerned young person today…

 

[Slippery Morris]

Shane is making all players fight for their spots especially the outside backs. Next season it will be the halves. He has created some better depth in the squad which is great.

Shane will also bring in something new in how they play. It simply is not good enough and with Hunt gone that will make life easier as I feel he ran the show and overruled a lot of the players and possibly the coach.

Dragons last won a comp with Hornby and Soward. Not the flashiest of halves but very effective with the game plan at hand. Shane I feel will do the same with the current halves.

 

[Jubilee]

I have a few questions re Shane’s brain
1) with Atkinson coming in 26, and LKT having made a decent start last year, there will be heaps of pressure on the 25 halves of Illias and Kyle. 4 doesn’t go into 2. Does he have A master plan? Or just seeing what happens and having options?
2) I wonder what he has planned for Finau? Heard nothing so wondering if he is on the outer? Feels to me like we will end up with Sloan and Lawson this year, but SF seems to be a big fan of CT, and he performed well last year, so the whole winger thing feels lie an unknown both in 25 and beyond?
3) there is no top quality props on the market. I assume SF is keeping the spot and cap just in case, bit I don’t expect to get anyone worthwhile, and this we will end up promoting a train and trial or something along those lines. Anyone feel different?
4) SF talked about the younger steers coming along and that they will get blooded this year. I owner who they will be, and if any get more than a token game? Who will star?

wrt #1 - LKT also plays lock while JDB and Eisenhuth may now be in their last year. So there is probably a slot for him in 2026, maybe off the bench. He is only 19 and has more growing to do but he could be bigger and be a regular in 2027. The problem is young guys wanting to advance too quickly so he could get snatched away by another club. But it would be good to keep him.

 

[matPORTS]

I'm impressed just reading about the whole club training session that took place last night.

We are a big club - and the mission should be constant right throughout.

I recall saying this five years back when he got him onboard as an assistant to a failing Mary. He needed to come in and start wielding some influence right through the joint then. While, for various reasons, his hands might have been tied, I'm sure a lot of brainstorming was going on back then. Now we are starting to see some of the ideas coming to light.

In reality - I still think all of this is going to take a good number of years, maybe as much as another 5-7 years. We need to get that junior system firing again (like it was 20 years ago). Only then can we reap the rewards.

The leadership structure we've created for the next couple of years will have us in good stead.

All in all, we are on the way to returning to the team that everyone can be proud to be part of !

 

[Wolfgang90]

1. Competitiveness: Everyone to compete for everything
2. Professionalism: All the 1% efforts on & off the field
3. Leadership: Seniors teach the youngsters
4. Culture: Everyone support & help each other
5. Character: Be good people
6. Pride: Respect & love the jersey

Club
Team
Individual

 

[SnowDragon]

wrt #1 - LKT also plays lock while JDB and Eisenhuth may now be in their last year. So there is probably a slot for him in 2026, maybe off the bench. He is only 19 and has more growing to do but he could be bigger and be a regular in 2027. The problem is young guys wanting to advance too quickly so he could get snatched away by another club. But it would be good to keep him.

Yes, while LKT to 13 is possible, we also have options like Jacob Halangahu , Finau Latu & hamish Stewart WHO are all young guys I could see in the 13. If LKT takes 13, then the others could move around to other positions for sure, but nothing is clear atm

​

 

[Jubilee]

Yes, while LKT to 13 is possible, we also have options like Jacob Halangahu , Finau Latu & hamish Stewart WHO are all young guys I could see in the 13. If LKT takes 13, then the others could move around to other positions for sure, but nothing is clear atm

​

LKT at hooker is another long term possibility.

 

[Old Timer]

Compete in every game
Not beat ourselves
Play for > 80 minutes
Develop a new & expanded game plan
Make sure our new signings do the jobs asked of them
Hold everyone staff included accountable
Not play Eisenberg in the centres

 

[Jubilee]

Compete in every game
Not beat ourselves
Play for > 80 minutes
Develop a new & expanded game plan
Make sure our new signings do the jobs asked of them
Hold everyone staff included accountable
Not play Eisenberg in the centres

What would the new plan be, bearing in mind that game plans depend on the cattle you have. He has said he plans to have Liddle and Cook on the field together. How would he use Sloan?

Personally, with these new guys, I expect a lot of ball movement. That means a high tolerance for errors, which in turn means having a defence good enough to defend errors.

 

[Old Timer]

What would the new plan be, bearing in mind that game plans depend on the cattle you have. He has said he plans to have Liddle and Cook on the field together. How would he use Sloan?

Personally, with these new guys, I expect a lot of ball movement. That means a high tolerance for errors, which in turn means having a defence good enough to defend errors.

The new came plan is easy

Players in motion presenting a variety of options.

No 1 man bands demanding the ball and hogging it.

Cook & Liddle to run out of dummy half to quicken the play and catch the opposition offside.

Not exactly sure where Sloan will fit in the team but if its wing he has to be like Blacklock

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I have a few questions re Shane’s brain
1) with Atkinson coming in 26, and LKT having made a decent start last year, there will be heaps of pressure on the 25 halves of Illias and Kyle. 4 doesn’t go into 2. Does he have A master plan? Or just seeing what happens and having options?
2) I wonder what he has planned for Finau? Heard nothing so wondering if he is on the outer? Feels to me like we will end up with Sloan and Lawson this year, but SF seems to be a big fan of CT, and he performed well last year, so the whole winger thing feels lie an unknown both in 25 and beyond?
3) there is no top quality props on the market. I assume SF is keeping the spot and cap just in case, bit I don’t expect to get anyone worthwhile, and this we will end up promoting a train and trial or something along those lines. Anyone feel different?
4) SF talked about the younger steers coming along and that they will get blooded this year. I owner who they will be, and if any get more than a token game? Who will star?

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

This is a great idea as a thread, because he’s so difficult to pin down in terms of any particular favoured game plan.

He draws from his experience and takes a few risks. Does his homework on opponents. So he’s hard to coach against and that is why he got the side so far last year.

A couple of strengths he has:

1. He can grind out a game, he’s patient.

2. I think he values effort and attitude as much as he does skill and X factor. If he’s playing a fancy side, he won’t take too many risks. He will fight pace with handling, positioning and surprise. He’s not a one trick pony.

3. He’s an exceptional communicator. He’s got the change room and we know he meets players individually to motivate or discipline them.

4. It was somewhat moving to hear Gutho and Cook talk about the honour of the captaincy after the Bunt debacle. And Flanno smashed Hunt publicaly after he sent him away. Rare for coaches, but it had to be done for the good of the club to help restore the lost pride. The SGI captaincy means something again. Very important given the history of the St George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers and everyone who has spilled blood in their honourable names.

5. Funny that both players thought they could be in trouble, Flanno sent messages that he wanted to see them about “performance review” and then surprised them both and bestowed the top honours. Maybe that explains his style. He’s a bit of an enigma, Gutho was taken aback as to how Flanno and staff do things differently.

But it’s right that we should have at least one NRL coach who is quite mysterious.

On another matter, I had a second look at Val tonight, he’s like the ideal player for Flanno to re-invent and revive.

He must be relishing the chance to bring on your kids too.

And like all coaches, he’s going to make errors.

He’s my second favourite coach, but I’d swap him for Benji in a heartbeat.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

Great questions, SnowDragon!

I think my response that covers just a few of your points is that SF doesn't want to be caught short of genuine first-graders like he was last season.

Losing players like Suli, Sua, Liddle, KF, etc, at key points in the season cost us dearly. If I was in Shane's brain, I'd have been absolutely filthy about the last 4 weeks of '24. After swallowing that incredibly bitter pill, I'd be thinking, "I can not let that ever happen again! I need capable, tough-minded players who maintain the focus to get the job done. If I can't buy 'em, -then I'll damn-well make 'em!!!"

I imagine Shane's primary guiding thought in putting together this playing group is making sure he has strong options to cover every position on the field.

SF has been around long enough to know that a coach is only one bad injury away from losing that "star signing" for the season.

Our juniors can't come on fast enough for Shane. And what a carrot...... dangling that 30th spot in front of the young guys noses!!! It really wouldn't surprise me if he leaves that spot open at long as possible. Which kid is going to run through that brick wall to get it?

A crafty old bugger, that Shane Flanagan!

And lastly, Frank Facer was once asked how he made St George such an iconic and great club. His answer was: " I made sure that St. George was in the papers every day!"

It worked for the Matildas....

To my mind, I think Flano seems well aware well of that quote.

Naah....Shane ain't going anywhere. Cleary grew his baby at Panthers, Bellamy grew his at the Storm, Bennett grew his at the Broncos.Gibson at Easts. Flano is chomping at the bit to grow his baby at the Dragons. He knows that fate may never offer a better chance........ (But he does need to stay in the chair.)

Taking an absolute wasteland of a club to greatness. What a story!!.... What a dream!! .....What a project!!..... What a man.

So, -sitting in Shane''s brain???....he wants this so, so badly. (Some would say he's redefining the word 'obsessive') As long as he is granted the freedom he seemingly has at present, -Shane ain't going nowhere.


Good night, folks.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I have a few questions re Shane’s brain
1) with Atkinson coming in 26, and LKT having made a decent start last year, there will be heaps of pressure on the 25 halves of Illias and Kyle. 4 doesn’t go into 2. Does he have A master plan? Or just seeing what happens and having options?
2) I wonder what he has planned for Finau? Heard nothing so wondering if he is on the outer? Feels to me like we will end up with Sloan and Lawson this year, but SF seems to be a big fan of CT, and he performed well last year, so the whole winger thing feels lie an unknown both in 25 and beyond?
3) there is no top quality props on the market. I assume SF is keeping the spot and cap just in case, bit I don’t expect to get anyone worthwhile, and this we will end up promoting a train and trial or something along those lines. Anyone feel different?
4) SF talked about the younger steers coming along and that they will get blooded this year. I owner who they will be, and if any get more than a token game? Who will star?

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I think Flanos biggest fear is running out enough good players. It was our undoing last year.

His recruiting and squad selection seems focussed on having strong coverage in all positions. Even goal kicking. Just not sure about our long kicking game.