A COACHING expert has expressed concern for the wellbeing of Shane Flanagan after St George Illawarra slumped to their ninth consecutive loss.
A disconsolate Flanagan told the post-match media conference on Saturday he understood why the team was booed off by their own fans at Kogarah Oval following the 32-0 eclipse by North Queensland.
“Just watched Flanno in his press conference and in coaching box the last couple of weeks, it looks like he is struggling with anxiety/stress, to the point it could be unhealthy,” Lee Addison, host of the Rugby League Coach podcast and a practitioner with experience across the globe, wrote on social media.
“Whatever is said about his coaching etcetera, I hope he stays healthy. Some things in life are more important than football.”
The Dragons’ round five defeat to North Queensland in round five of 2026 wasn’t just a loss. The Dragons were humbled back home at Kogarah, with the Cowboys going 20-0 up when down to 12 men with Reuben Cotter in the the sin bin.
It was a performance with no redeeming qualities for the joint venture, with the Cowboys holding a team scoreless for the first time in three years.
“It’s no good enough, completely understand,” Flanagan said when asked what he could say in response to his team being booed off a halftime and fulltime by their home fans.
The former Cronulla premiership coach’s voice seemed to break as he answered questions.
“We’ve got no excused to put out there,” he continued. “I’ve got to find out why and that’s my job over the next couple of days.
“We looked (like) we didn’t know each other at some different stages, poor passes behind each other, lack of cohesion, it was very disappointing.
“I’m not trying to cover over anything.
“It’s round five. There’s some new players in there in important parts of the team. I fully understand the frustration, I’m as frustrated as anyone.
“I’m upset, I’m terribly disappointed and I’m sorry.”
After answering the first barrage of questions, Flanagan could be seen with his head down, holding his forehead with one hand.
Captain Damien Cook countered: “It’s all us players. We’re the ones out there. You’ve seen what our gameplan can do in the first few rounds. Today was just bad.
“Us as players, we’re the reason. We’ve got to keep working harder. A big sorry to the fans. I mean that.”
NORTH QUEENSLAND 32 (Purdue 2 Drinkwater Burns Tuilagi Clifford tries Clifford 4 goals) beat ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 0 at Kogarah Jubilee Oval.
DRAGONS: Clint Gutherson (c); Christian Tuipolotu, Moses Suli, Valentine Holmes, David Fale; Lykhan King-Togia, Daniel Atkinson; Emre Guhler, Damien Cook, Blake Lawrie, Luciano Leulua, Jayden Su’A, Hamish Stewart. Res: Toby Couchman, Jacob Liddle, Jacob Halangahu, Hame Sele, Josh Kerr, Hame Sele.
NQ: Scott Drinkwater; Braidon Burns, Jaxson Purdue, Tom Chester, Murray Tualagi; Jake Clifford, Tom Deardon (c); Coen Hess, Reed Mahoney, Jason Taumalolo, Heilum Luki, Sam McIntyre, Reuben Cotter. Res: Griffin Neame; Thomas Mikaele, Zac Laybutt, Kai O’Donnell.
Referee: Wyatt Raymond.
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