Super League club St Helens has expressed its interest in Shane Flanagan coaching the English club from next season.
Flanagan was hired by the St George Illawarra Dragons for the 2023 season to return the side to the finals, as the club last played in the finals in 2019.
In his tenure, the club did not make the finals, and after the club went on an eleven-game losing streak dating back to the final four games of the 2025 season, Shane Flanagan was sacked prior to the ANZAC Day game against the Sydney Roosters and replaced by Dean Young.
Young has since won three games and signed a two-year deal to become the full-time coach.
When Flanagan was sacked, he admitted it was better to step away from the spotlight as a coach, particularly given the nature of coaching his son, Kyle, and how it has impacted his family.
“It's been really difficult. Obviously I didn't plan on this happening at all,” Flanagan said on Triple M's NRL Daily podcast in May.
“We seemed to get worse week-in, week-out and I think players lost a lot of confidence.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Flanagan's name was on a shortlist of potential candidates to replace Paul Rowley as the club looks for its next head coach.
Near the end of July, St Helens coach Paul Rowley left the Super League after nine months in charge.
Currently, Eamon O'Carroll, who was an assistant coach, has become the club's interim coach for the remainder of the season.
Reports have circulated that there was a dislike of Rowley's vision for the club.
Former NRL premiership winner and St Helens winger Kyle Feldt commented on his dislike of Rowley's vision when he departed for a code-switch return to Australia before Rowley's exit.
The current roster for St Helens consists of former NRL players Jackson Hastings, Tristan Sailor, Curtis Sironen, David Klemmer, and Jacob Host.
St Helens have also signed former Wests Tigers centre Solomona Faataape on a two-year deal starting from the 2027 season.
It was reported in late July by The Sydney Morning Herald that the former Dragons and Sharks coach is open to returning as a senior assistant coach at the Wests Tigers, as John Morris is expected to join Dean Young at the Dragons.
Flanagan has been busy with several media roles since his dismissal as Dragons coach in April.
With 240 games of NRL premiership coaching experience and a premiership in 2016, he would be a solid option wherever he wanted to coach.
