Shane Flanagan, the former coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons, has endorsed Dean Young for the permanent coaching position at the club.
The Red V and Flanagan parted ways in April after a dismal run of 11 consecutive losses, which included seven defeats at the start of the 2026 season and four from the previous year.
Shortly after, Young, a club icon, was appointed as the interim head coach, leading to a wave of optimism in Wollongong.
The Dragons have made significant signings, bringing in talents like Luke Metcalf, Phillip Sami, Scott Drinkwater, and Connor Watson for the next season.
Additionally, the promising Keaon Koloamatangi joins a young lineup of forwards, establishing a strong foundation for the club's rebuilding phase.
Following these acquisitions, the team celebrated its first victory in over 300 days against the reigning champions, the Brisbane Broncos.
Flanagan has observed enough progress to confidently state that Young is the ideal candidate for the long-term role, noting the marked improvements under his leadership.
"I think he probably should, yeah. He's been at the club a long time. He was there with (former coach) Paul McGregor," Flanagan told Triple M when asked if Young should get the gig.
"And he was interim coach there at the back-end of Paul McGregor's stint. Then he went to the Cowboys to get a bit of experience at another club because he had been at the Dragons as a player and a coach for a long time."