Dean Young, the newly appointed coach of St George Illawarra, has made headlines by stating that halfback Kade Reed is not the team's "saviour," despite giving the 20-year-old his NRL debut, replacing Kyle Flanagan.
Young announced his first lineup on Tuesday, just a day after taking over from Shane Flanagan, who was relieved of his duties and happens to be Kyle's father.
This decision marks a significant change as Kyle Flanagan finds himself on the bench for the first time since joining the Dragons in 2024 when Shane took the coaching reins.
Throughout his time with the team, Flanagan has participated in 55 matches but missed five-four due to suspension and one because of injury.
Shane Flanagan had reservations about giving Reed an NRL start; however, Young's first team announcement reflects his confidence in Reed's abilities.
Young clarified that he is not jeopardizing Reed's future by placing him in a high-stakes matchup against the Sydney Roosters on Anzac Day, particularly with the Red V struggling to secure their first win.
"People will probably judge my decision and say that we're 0-7 and chucking in a kid on debut on Anzac Day is risky," Young stated, indicating he is committed to coaching at least through the end of the season.
"I wouldn't do it unless I believed in him and I wanted him to know that I believe in him," Young added.
"His parents fully know that I'm in there for the long haul with him and he's a big part of the future."