St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has dismissed speculation linking the Dragons to off-contract backs Jake Averillo and Murray Taulagi, labelling the reports as media-driven rather than club-backed.
Both Averillo and Taulagi are free to negotiate with rival clubs ahead of the 2027 season and had been floated as potential targets as the Dragons continue reshaping their roster under Flanagan.
However, speaking on The Saints Podcast, Flanagan was emphatic that no discussions have taken place.
"That's just media speculation. We haven't had any communication with them," Flanagan said.
The Dragons coach's comments come amid a busy recruitment period for the Red V, who have already added four new faces for the upcoming season, securing Daniel Atkinson, David Fale, Josh Kerr and Setu Tu as part of their ongoing rebuild.
While both Averillo and Taulagi remain among the more intriguing names on the open market, Flanagan's stance suggests the Dragons are comfortable with their current trajectory and are not actively chasing external backline reinforcements at this stage.
St George Illawarra continue to focus on internal development and targeted recruitment as they look to re-establish themselves as a long-term premiership contender under Flanagan's stewardship.
