Kyle Flanagan

[Mojo]

An organiser in the halves is VITAL. The players that can change the momentum, slow the game down when in control, speed it up when required, kick a field goal to make the opposition have to score an extra score to win. Think Cleary in GF vs Broncs, he kicked up a few gears and won the game for them. Think Adam Reynolds vs us in 2018 in the semi final when he kicked 3 field goals. Think Ben Hornby cutting out Gasnier, twice, because he knew Roosters rookies Linnett and Leulia would be wanting to shut Gasnier down and tis allowed Nightingale to score twice untouched in 2010 GF. Think DCE in last year's semi vs the Dogs...... digs all over the Sea Eagles and force a drop out. Everybody thought DCE was going the short drop out.....NO, he went an 80 metre bouncing kick that ended up pinning the dogs on their in goal. Dogs lose the ball, sea eagles score, game changed, eagles win. Loads of examples ....... This was the biggest negative with Ben Hunt.....excellent footballer, but could never come up with the clutch play.

Ok. If that’s what everyone means by an ‘organising half‘ fair enough. In brief, a smart player who has a feel for the state of play and is clever enough to pull a rabbit out of a hat when a bit of magic is needed. Gem quality players. If that’s what we’re looking for I think we may as well apply the old trial and error method. These sort of guys generally emerge as surprise packages - Thurston, Sterling, Hornby, DCE … they’re quick thinkers first and foremost. I think our KOE 6, Glover, might well have what it takes - and I wouldn’t write-off Ilias and King Togia - with Atkinson coming-in - there’s a halves combination there somewhere. Meteorites are exciting but they also burn bright and disappear. We need to develop a sustainable combination

(Personally, I have never considered Bunt in this category. I don’t even rate him a a great player in general).

 

[Wolfgang90]

An organising half & an elite kicking half are vital. Sometimes it's the same player i.e. cleary & moses, other times it's someone like a sexton who does the organising & burton with the elite kicking.

That wasn't the only field goal Atkinson kicked. He also kicked one in golden point for their win over Newcastle last year, and in that game he scored a try, had 1 try assist, 3 goals and kicked for 379 metres. Such a dud. Then he led them to a 44-0 win over Gold Coast with Cam McInnes in the halves next to him, again notching 2 try assists and over 500 kicking metres. Terrible stuff. He's younger than both Hynes and Trindall so obviously less experienced, so I thank the Sharks for continuing to build his FG experience for us this year instead of putting the so-called dud in NSW Cup.

Folks, don't buy into the rubbish that the scum from the shire are selling in here. After almost 50 years they're still petty bitches with a chip on their shoulder. The Italian is a stallion

He's a footy nerd, has been following our games & comes from the melb storm system. I think him being used as a utility is a silver lining as he's learning how other positions operate & demands of those positions. He has 1st hand experience now.

Everything I hear & see about Atko says we've got a natural footy player. High IQ who might be in a similar vein to a Ben Hornby. All I want to see is the top level kicking from him next year. All our younger players have high IQs, Egan, Stewart, Couchman x 2, LKT. All are natural footy players imo. I think Atko will be a great buy for us, great cultural fit too.

 

[offiah]

We just need to follow the Canberra model. They have a similar (less desirable) location challenge as us. They’ve addressed it by buying strong forwards from the UK and then going for the best young halves and backs (eg junior Blues and maroons) coming through that are not going to get a shot at FG. Eg Ethan Sanders.

How we let Tamale go I have no idea?? We should be all over these guys and we had one right here.

We probably need an actual recruitment manager as well I guess… seriously what the f do we expect?

 

[I'm Hornby]

We just need to follow the Canberra model. They have a similar (less desirable) location challenge as us. They’ve addressed it by buying strong forwards from the UK and then going for the best young halves and backs (eg junior Blues and maroons) coming through that are not going to get a shot at FG. Eg Ethan Sanders.

How we let Tamale go I have no idea?? We should be all over these guys and we had one right here.

We probably need an actual recruitment manager as well I guess… seriously what the f do we expect?

I like the idea of signing junior blues/maroons.

Unfortunately for us the average age of new recruit under this coach is 28 years old, the youngest players signed have been 24 year olds (Tuipulotou and Illias).

Our typical recruit is a relatively young player or an aging player who are getting a second, third or fourth chance.

I hope for our sake we start signing younger players without pathways to first grade but I doubt it will happen while Flanagan remains coach.

 

[possm]

Are organising 7’s as important in today’s game?
I feel with the six agains added to the game maybe having two attacking halves could be the way to go in future.

Yes, maybe Reed and Atkinson.

 

[RedVDave]

His defence is ok if he "has" to be in the team I reckon he'd go ok at lock.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

His defence is ok if he "has" to be in the team I reckon he'd go ok at lock.

His goal kicking is OK too. You might be on to something @RedVDave . If he must be on the field, then maybe try him at lock.

 

[KingFlanno7]

If he has to be in the team? What is this u6s or something, he doesn't have to be in the team at all. Kyle would get smashed at lock we are better off with Debelin at 13 and bringing in Halangahu or Liu. Kyle has had enough chances to show something we shouldn't have to accommodate him in the 17 because he is the coaches son what kind of thinking is that.

 

[dragon thomo]

No he does not need to be in the team. You play first grade if you are good enough. Kyle tries hard but he just is not good enough. The coach will lose his job if he keeps picking his son.
Sloane is the other problem, get rid of both of them to either super league or reserve grade

 

[RedVDave]

We all know as long as Shane is coach Kyle isn't getting dropped he will either be the starting 6 partnering Atkinson in the halves or number 9 when Cook retires or 13 when JBD retires or moves to prop. There's a small chance he goes to 14 for the utility spot but let's be honest he's not getting dropped.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

my worry on the weekend was triaged in this order

1. Our defence could not slow down and or wrestle the Sharks on their hitups second half. Sharks rolled through us second half like Germany to the gates of Paris in WWII........which did surprise me given the size of our pack vs their small backrow vs ours......

2. If we are not making metres up the field via our forwards playing safe and tucked under the arm.............we need to take a little more risk in either offloads and or wider metres made so our last kick / play was more like Tricky Trindall sending super high attacking bombs from inside our half and creating turnovers / tries

3. If we didnt have the guy in the hot seat returning over 40m kicks on average (yep 41m on avreage to be exact) to get us out of our half.........who on earth in our squad could have made that happen? I mean it could have been 44 to 18 if we didnt negate a little momentum through our long kicks. Shows how important Burton was to sign with his long kicking and serious bombs that go as high as the eiffiel tower

4. Maybe not the fourth but our back 3 defence and diffusion of bombs.................was herrendous ..........maybe should have been no1 but there was legit pressure...........it so bad though and directly lead to heavy points against us...........i mean the worst of it was that the Sharks didnt attack us like in the past out wide ripping through our defence...........they more so bombed us into tomorrow and reaped the rewards..........for sometimes fairly easy takes in defence

 

[Redvdragons21]

I have an idea. If Flanno isn’t going to drop Kyle. How about we move Kyle to 9 cook to 13 and lids remains on the bench. And bring in illias and clover In the halves who have been playing well in cup. That’s the only solution I have. Because we all know Flanno isn’t dropping his son.

 

[Dragon David]

At long last there is some media coverage on the father and son arrangements at the Dragons.

‘Either his job or Kyle’s’: Blunt Flanno call as ‘elephant in the room’ lingers at Dragons

‘Either his job or Kyle’s’: Blunt Flanno call as ‘elephant in the room’ lingers at Dragons

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[John moz]

A long bye weekend for the Flanagans and if the coach won't dump his son .
Kyle needs to make the call as we have been watching each week his team mates are not listening to his calls and supposed leadership that he never had .

 

[thebigredv]

I predicted the media coverage would come and here it is. Many of us have been calling for him to dropped for well over a month. He has been horribly out of form for such a key position and there was no such persistence with Ilias.

Reckon coach is too stubborn to make it happen, we might scrape a win against an average team and it will save him and coach...all too predictable.

Standards. I always say it. Standards.

 

[Old Timer]

I have an idea. If Flanno isn’t going to drop Kyle. How about we move Kyle to 9 cook to 13 and lids remains on the bench. And bring in illias and clover In the halves who have been playing well in cup. That’s the only solution I have. Because we all know Flanno isn’t dropping his son.

If our pop gun forwards can’t get our halves any room now why do we want to make our forward pack any smaller by having either Cook or K F at 13?

This would be disastrous for any new half trying to fix our already terrible halves problem.

Hamish to 13
Toby to 10
JDB to prop rotation
Jacob H to 11
L L to bench
Nick T to centre
Moses to 5 or 15
K F to KOE Cup
Ilias or Glover to 7
If Sua is not available then Nick T to 2nd row, Moses back to centre & Finau to wing.

Investing any more time in K F or attempting to reinvent a player within 1 year of retirement is completely futile.

We must invest in our future and stop treading water.

 

[dragon thomo]

Glover needs to play first grade. Although our forwards need to give him room.

 

[possm]

His goal kicking is OK too. You might be on to something @RedVDave . If he must be on the field, then maybe try him at lock.

Replacing De Belin or Stewart at lock with Kyle would be a grave mistake. I am afraid that kyle has been given more than a fair go and is found to be lacking. He should be dropped to reserve grade.

 

[possm]

Flanno should have dinner with Metcalfe asap and offer him starting spot and less money to move. He has 2 years left on his contract so by NRL rules that should be fine.

Swap with Kyle, both have two years left on their contracts. But this would only work if Metcalf and Flannagan agree to move clubs.

 

[possm]

Glover needs to play first grade. Although our forwards need to give him room.

Kyle to reserve grade and Glover or Reed to first-grade this Tuesday.