While many believe Shane Flanagan should be given a life ban from coaching in the NRL, he has confirmed talks with Dragon officials regarding the head coaching role.
The Dragons have been in disarray looking for a coach since Jason Ryles turned down a four-year contract worth $3.2 million last week to take over as head coach.
As the likes of Dean Young, Des Hasler and Ben Hornby have been some of the names passed around for the Dragons head coaching job, Shane Flanagan has not only confirmed interest in the role but has stated the club has been in contact with his manager.
“I'll just let it unfold, that's what you have managers for, and hopefully something happens, and it gets done,” Flanagan said on 2GB Radio.
“I'd need to talk to their board and CEO, and they'd have a lot of questions for me, and I'd have a lot of questions for them, and we need to go through that process for sure.
“Obviously, Jason had some concerns when he went there then pulled out at the last minute with a good offer to go to Melbourne.
“There's a lot of water to go under the bridge, and hopefully, it doesn't take too long if it's going to happen, but I'll just leave it to my manager and over the next week or two, I'll be able to tell you what's happening."
The 57-year-old previously coached the Cronulla Sharks for eight seasons and led the team to winning the NRL premiership in 2016.
However, he was later deregistered as a coach for breaching the terms of his 2014 ban over the supplements scandal inflicted at the club.
Since serving his suspension, he has been an assistant under Paul McGregor in 2020 at the Dragons and is the current assistant at Manly under Anthony Seibold.
“I don't think I need to go through an interview process, obviously the club would know exactly what I've done in the game - I've coached at NRL level for eight years, won a competition," he said.
“Obviously, which everyone talks about, I had a suspension but I learnt so much from that period. I'm a better person, a better coach. If the Dragons are interested, we'll chat."
What’s happened to Hasler? Never here his name mentioned and if not why not? SMH is saying Michael Cheika wants to coach them.
The real worry is the board of clowns will rush another rookie former player be it Hornby or Young into the job. I’m glad Ryles walked away, but he was never ever going to coach St George anyway; he was using the club as leverage to get a better deal from the Storm pure and simple. He treated the board like muppets, which they are.
Maguire and Cartwright are two other experienced coaches working as assistants. It is ludicrous of the Dragons board to think an untried rookie will enable the team to generate success.
Maybe they want somebody they can control?