LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
New Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has made it clear that he will not be making any hasty signings as he focuses on building a strong roster for the 2025 season.
He has revealed that he is considering a dual fullback role for Zac Lomax and Tyrell Sloan, showing his strategic approach to team building.
Flanagan, who has not coached in the NRL since 2019, has learned from past mistakes and is now willing to wait for the right players to become available, rather than rushing to fill the roster.
He is determined to improve the talent already within the St George Illawarra ranks, with a particular focus on improving the team's fitness, which he believes was lacking in the previous season.
Flanagan, who spent the 2020 season in a consulting role with the Dragons, has a good understanding of the club's pathways and predicts that more juniors will follow in the footsteps of players like Sloan and the Couchman twins, Toby and Ryan.
However, he also believes that the team will need to sign three or four top-line players in order to become a premiership force again, with the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake, Tom Dearden, and Joey Manu being potential targets for the 2025 season.