“Not set in stone”: Flanagan not convinced on halves pairing for Vegas

St George Illawarra Dragons head coach Shane Flanagan has admitted his halves for the opening round of the 2026 NRL season in Las Vegas against the Canterbury Bulldogs are not yet set in stone.

It has been widely expected that former Cronulla Sharks utility Daniel Atkinson will wear the number seven jumper for the joint-venture, while the coaches son Kyle Flanagan will be shuffled to five-eighth.

That will ultimately bump Lyhkan King-Togia out of the side, although the new six-man bench could yet see him find a role there.

The senior Flanagan though, talking at a media opportunity, revealed the halves are not yet set in stone, although they are training well.

“They are going good. It's not set in stone, but they are definitely training well,” Flanagan said of Atkinson and his son.

“They have had a good three or four months practice together, but it's not just Kyle and Daniel. It's Kyle and his edge, and Daniel and his edge with his fullback, hooker, back-rower and centre.

“It's not just the six and seven gelling, it's the whole edge. There is a bit of work to do.”

Flanagan confirmed Atkinson wants to play halfback, although the expectation within the club is not quite as dramatic as the media have made it out to be.

“He definitely wants it [to play halfback]. The expectation is probably more set from the media, which in a way I fully understand, but we have to give him time. He has played enough first-grade, but didn't play a lot last year. He comes here fresh ready to go, but probably has to temper his excitement to do things,” the coach added on his likely new halfback.

“A simple game will be early on, and then we will evolve his game over a period of time.”

Flanagan's decision will need to be made over the coming weeks, with the Dragons to start their season early in Las Vegas.

Their opening trial on Saturday evening against the Newcastle Knights will see King-Togia joined by another impressive youngster in Kade Reed in the halves, with both Flanagan and Atkinson sitting out, instead likely to play the Charity Shield against the South Sydney Rabbitohs next Saturday in Wollongong.