Paul Crawley column, Shane Flanagan contract extension questioned, what bothered Wayne Bennett after narrow win

No one questions the commitment of St George Illawarra under Shane Flanagan.

But Dragons fans are still entitled to question if the club jumped the gun handing Flanagan a contract extension at the end of last season despite finishing 15th on the ladder.

It means Flanagan has a deal until the end of 2028, which must be tremendously reassuring given how the Dragons have started this season.

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The 30-20 loss to Parramatta leaves the Dragons equal last with Gold Coast, as one of three teams winless after three rounds.

Manly of course got two competition points on the weekend thanks to the bye.

In fairness to the Dragons, their previous defeats were a 15-14 golden point nail-biter against the Bulldogs (when the Dragons copped some shocking calls in Vegas), and 46-20 loss to the Storm (when the Dragons led with 20 minutes to go before Sua Fa’alogo caught fire).

Nevertheless, in the NRL a loss is a loss, and when they keep mounting the blowtorch on the coach is never far away.

Factor in this year’s start is on the back of the Dragons winning only eight of 24 games last year and 11 of 24 in 2024.

All up, that’s 19 wins in Flanagan’s 51 games coaching the Red V.

It puts Flanagan’s average in the same period well below both Anthony Seibold (26 wins in 52 matches) and Todd Payten (26 of 53), who are considered the two coaches fighting to be first sacked this year.

It’s interesting that the Dragons’ next game is against the Titans on the Gold Coast before the play the Cowboys at home in round five, and the Sea Eagles in round six.

It sets up a huge three weeks for all coaches involved.

Again, I’m not saying we can’t see signs the Dragons are having a red-hot crack for their coach.

But some of their attacking options when the game was in the balance on Sunday were just fair dinkum embarrassing.

I said at the start of the season this Dragons’ roster is the most limited in the NRL given its lack of attacking strike.

Nothing has changed my mind on that.

In fact, what Sunday’s match highlighted was that the Eels have a stack of improvement left in them before they get anywhere reaching their potential.

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But it’s hard to see where the Dragons’ improvement will come from unless coach Flanagan is prepared to make some tough decisions.

In fairness to the Dragons’ forwards, they are more than holding their own.

It’s the strike in the backs that remains the elephant in the room.

Last year Jason Ryles made the huge call to let Clint Gutherson go so he could open the door for Isaiah Iongi at Parramatta.

You don’t hear anyone arguing that point anymore.

But at the Dragons there are huge questions marks hanging right over almost the entire backline.

In the halves Kyle Flanagan and Daniel Atkinson never stop trying.

But if you were to put Mitchell Moses in the Dragons, it would be a completely different story.

Yet the Dragons recruited Atkinson to be their long-term halfback with Flanagan playing six, even though Atkinson appears an out-and-out five-eighth and Flanagan a halfback.

It seems confusing because it is.

Coach Flanagan also mentioned is his media conference on Sunday how when he coached Cronulla they were in a similar spot in 2016 but went on to take out the premiership.

But with due respect that was with a squad that boasted Ben Barba, a young Val Holmes, James Maloney, Luke Lewis, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen, Mick Ennis and Andrew Fifita.

It’s hardly judging apples with apples.

When Paul McGregor got off to a 0-3 start at the Dragons in 2020 it was the beginning of the end for him.

Admittedly the argument at that point was Mary had had plenty of time to turn things around.

Yet Flanagan avoids anywhere near the same scrutiny even though he already clearly has his fingerprints all over this roster in his third season in charge.

Whether that is a good or bad thing is open to interpretation.

CODY AND LATRELL MUST PUT SOUTHS AHEAD OF EGO

Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell should use Souths’ bye round this week to re-evaluate what is most important to them this season.

It’s no use having blokes like Jye Gray, Cam Murray and Jack Wighton bust their gut for the team if the two superstars in the Rabbitohs’ backline can’t put their egos in their back pocket.

For the second straight week Cody and Latrell very nearly brought the Bunnies undone after they scraped home 20-16 against the Wests Tigers in Gosford.

And people were still wondering why Wayne Bennett was short with the media after the game.

When pressed what didn’t please him about this victory, Bennett finally said: “We are better than what we played tonight. If we keep playing like that we won’t be in contention for anything except the bottom end of the competition.”

While Bennett wouldn’t elaborate on exactly what was upsetting him, I thought it was pretty clear watching the game.

A week earlier Cody had two brain explosions against the Roosters, while Latrell also had his moments.

This time Latrell took the lead and Cody followed.

Along with giving up an eight-point try, Latrell’s two pushed passes coming out of trouble in the first half put his team under unnecessary pressure.

And while the Rabbitohs were praised for defending 26-straight tackles on their own tryline at one point, go back and watch how that sequence unfolded.

It was Walker who gave up a cheap set restart when he held on too long on the fifth tackle.

Sure, as per usual everyone focusses on the plays from these two that leads to points.

But if Souths are going to challenge the big guns come September, they need the two players who set the Bunnies’ barometer in measuring attitude leading the charge in the one percenters.

STORM’S BIG THREE GO MIA AGAINST BRONCOS

You’d love to have been a fly on the wall to hear what Craig Bellamy had to say to the Storm’s ‘big three’ following Friday’s 18-14 loss to the Broncos.

How does a team containing Harry Grant, Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster not score a single second half point in a grand final rematch after leading 14-0 at the break?

It’s the second time in a row now the Broncos have overcome a double-digit deficit to beat their former bogey team.

While the Broncos deserve plenty of credit for the grit and guts they showed stage another remarkable comeback, some of the Storm’s attacking sets when the match was still there to be won late completely lacked composure.

Grant, Hughes and Munster would be terribly disappointed.

While individually they tried their hearts out, collectively they just didn’t connect when the pressure was on.

It was not only the Broncos’ first win in Melbourne in a decade, but that makes it three in a row against the Storm who they also beat in round 27 last year.

It would have to leave more mental scars on Melbourne’s new ‘big three’.

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DOLPHINS READY TO MAKE A STATEMENT

This Friday’s battle of Brisbane should be a beauty after watching the Dolphins dispose of the Sharks 38-10.

The Dolphins are one team who can match the Broncos with strike across the park, and I can’t wait to see how Isaiya Katoa aims up against the reigning premiers after the 22-year-old helped tear apart the Sharks.

That spiral pass to set up the try for Jamayne Isaako was as good as anything you would have seen from Wally Lewis, Ricky Stuart or Andrew Johns.

CLEARY ON ANOTHER PLANET

Nathan Cleary is on another planet to every other player to start the 2026 season.

The four-time premiership winner was just so in sync against the Roosters that his rival halves Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans didn’t stand a chance.

With Cleary pulling the strings, the Panthers have gone to another level this season.

Young Blaize Talagi and Casey McLean seem to grow by the week.

It’s astonishing to think they are only aged 21 and 19 respectively.

While veterans Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, Brian To’o and Liam Martin continue to play at the elite level and never show any signs of slackening off.

There is this methodical approach to the Panthers this season that should frighten the hell out of their opponents.

PRESSURE ON ROOSTERS AHEAD OF DCE’S MANLY RETURN

Pressure mounts on Trent Robinson ahead of Daly Cherry-Evans’ return to Manly.

While no one expected the Roosters to start super-fast given the arrival of DCE and Reece Robson to play crucial positions, we were probably entitled to expect more than what they have delivered so far.

Walloped 42-18 by the Warriors in round one, they got home 26-18 against the Rabbitohs, before being embarrassed 40-4 by the Panthers.

You’d still expect the Roosters should win this comfortably given the Sea Eagles’ bumpy start to the season.

But on what we’ve seen from Roosters so far, Manly would have to give themselves some hope at home.

DOGS IGNORE XERRI DRAMAS

You’ve got to give it to the Bulldogs.

After all the off-field drama surrounding Bronson Xerri last week, they went down to Canberra and showed everyone how connected they still are as a group of players.

In tough wet conditions the two teams turned back the clock with a good old fashioned bash-a-thon.

While both sides showed plenty of spirit, it was the Dogs who closed out the game 14-10.

The Raiders were extremely brave with Hudson Young a standout, while Connor Tracey was tremendous with some huge plays in attack and defence, including the try saving tackle on Ethan Sanders at the death.

MORE AMMUNITION TO QUESTION IF CRICHTON IS A ‘PROTECTED SPECIES’

Still on that match winning tackle, and it was a tough call on the Raiders not to award a set restart on that final set before a desperate Tracey stopped Sanders.

Xavier Savage had every right to be blowing up that Adam Gee refused to ping Stephen Crichton for not only slowing the play-the-ball down, but then making a second effort.

After all the six-agains we’ve seen this season, it was a really strange decision from Gee.

Was the referee the only person watching who didn’t see it, or did Gee not think it was bad enough to decide a game?

It’s not the first time this year fans have been left questioning if Crichton is a protected species.

We saw the Bulldogs skipper escape the sin bin and a suspension for that high shot on the young Dragons winger Setu Tu in Vegas.

BLUES BACKROW STOCKS OVERFLOWING

Good luck Laurie Daley choosing the NSW edge backrowers this year.

While you’d expect Liam Martin to be a walk up start if he’s fit after his effort when returning from injury against the Roosters, Hudson Young is seriously challenging Angus Crichton for the left edge spot.

At this point you’d have to have Young in front.

Then you’ve got Jacob Preston who is just a tryscorer and is in great form for the Dogs.

Don’t forget Cam Murray is also back and has to get a spot somewhere in the squad, although it’s unlikely he’d be named at lock ahead of Isaah Yeo.

Throw in Payne Haas, Mitch Barnett, Stefano Utoikamanu and it’s a stacked pack. Spencer Leniu is another who will come into the mix.

BOYD GIVES WARRIORS A GOOD HEADACHE

It was great to see Mitch Barnett return after a long layoff from his ACL knee surgery and hit the ground running for the Warriors.

Barnett set up a great try for Jackson Ford and made his presence known in defence.

As for Tanah Boyd, he again showed what a tough decision Andrew Webster will have when Luke Metcalf returns from injury in a few rounds.

While you could play them together in the halves, Boyd is just excelling in the chief playmaking role.

As for the injury-ravaged Knights, you must give them some grace after losing Fletcher Sharpe (who was named to return) on the back of injuries last round to Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown.