Former St George Illawarra Dragons head coach Shane Flanagan has revealed he is likely finished as a head coach.

Flanagan, who was in the third year of his tenure at the Dragons, oversaw seven straight losses to start the 2026 campaign before falling on his sword.

The club's head of football Ben Haran departed the joint-venture at the same time.

The former coach, who won a premiership in 2016 at the Cronulla Sharks, revealed on Triple M NRL that he is likely not going to pursue another head coaching role, but would like to replicate his time at the Manly Sea Eagles in 2023 and find an assistant coaching role.

He suggested he doesn't know yet whether it was the right or wrong call, but admitted to feeling better since he gave it away.

“I've still got more in me but probably not as a head coach,” Flanagan said during an appearance on Triple M's NRL Daily podcast

“I'd like to get to a club I can get in there and assist a coach. I really enjoyed my year at Manly (in 2023).

“The stress (as a head coach) is so different. Just this year, the stress of it all probably in the end got to me.

“I felt for the club losing six or seven in a row and I thought the only way to get some change, maybe like the Sea Eagles this year, was for me to move on.

“Whether it's the right or wrong (decision), time will tell but I've felt a lot better since I've left and hopefully they win soon.”

The Dragons have not improved since Flanagan's departure, with interim coach Dean Young watching his side fumble and stumble their way to another four straight losses.

The Red V are now less than a month away from owning the worst ever start to a season in the NRL era unless they can find a win, with the Dragons to clash with the Broncos, Sharks, Knights and Raiders all away from home over their next four games.

Flanagan admitted confidence was a factor for the playing group during their losing run, and said that something had to change, with his departure being the only thing that could.

“It's been really difficult. Obviously I didn't plan on this happening at all,” Flanagan said.

“We seemed to get worse week-in, week-out and I think players lost a lot of confidence.

“I feel that something had to change and we can't get rid of five or six players. The something that had to change was probably me. There was a little bit more to it.

“The group and the club are trying really hard and Dean will be trying really hard.

“I'm their number one fan. I want them to win. I need them to win and when you're confidence is down, look what happens.

“It's really hard to get out of that confidence (slump) and changing belief. They're good enough. Last year, they beat Brisbane in Brisbane, beat the Sharks, the Warriors, the Storm. They beat some good teams and had big wins and except Daniel Atkinson, it's really the same team but when belief isn't there, this is what happens.”

Criticism has been levelled at all areas of the Dragons playing group, and with the roster being built by Flanagan over the last couple of seasons, the rebuild has now commenced with the signing of Keaon Koloamatangi, Phillip Sami, Scott Drinkwater and Luke Metcalf already locked in for 2027.

What that means for some of the club's ageing players, including Clint Gutherson and Valentine Holmes next year remains to be seen.

Playing in front of a fan base who have simply had enough, the Dragons were once again booed off Kogarah on Saturday evening after putting up an insipid display against the New Zealand Warriors.

Dropped immediately after Shane's departure, Kyle Flanagan has been forced back into the NRL side over the last two weeks thanks to an injury to Kade Reed, who debuted on Anzac Day and had some nice moments in attack, but struggled enormously in defence.

Shane admitted that the criticism levelled at Kyle, which reached fever pitch in the week's leading up to the coach's departure, played a role in Shane and the club reaching the agreement to depart, with the former head coach also explaining the number of player departures over the years had left Kyle in a tricky spot.

“That's why I'm sitting here. Really, it is,” Flanagan admitted.

“There were a few reasons why I made my decision. Obviously results and the pressure and not winning footy games but Kyle came into it as well.

“It was tough but at the time when he came to the club, Ben Hunt was halfback. We had Junior Amone and Jayden Sullivan as well. We brought Kyle to be our No. 14 and wanted to eventually transition him into hooker.

“Ben Hunt left, Junior Amone was suspended and Jayden went to the Tigers and we didn't envisage all those things happening.

“For me, he's the best half at the club. He competes hard but he's not that creative, we know that. But next year with Drinkwater coming over, that'll help him. We just need that (creativity) out the back.”

Kyle Flanagan likely has the number seven jumper locked up for the coming weeks given Reed is still injured, despite starting the year at five-eighth alongside Daniel Atkinson.

The pair switched jerseys after just over a month, with Atkinson struggling to play his natural game and spark the Dragons' attack.

Neither Flanagan nor Atkinson are guaranteed a jersey next year given the emergence of Reed and signing of Metcalf, while other changes are also almost certain, with Gutherson's role up in the air, and some of the misfiring forwards also unlikely to be in the best 19 given the breakout form of a young crop of forwards and arrival of Koloamatangi.

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