'We needed leaders': Inside Flanagan's Dragons rebuild

St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has opened up on the recruitment strategy driving the Dragons roster overhaul.

The club hadn't made the top eight since 2018 and seemed destined for more years in the finals wilderness before the coach's arrival last summer. Despite the critics, Flanagan took one look under the hood and quickly realised he had plenty to work with. 

The Dragons have long boasted one of the most fertile junior nurseries in the competition and the pipeline is currently loaded with talent in both the St George and Illawarra pathways. 

Flanagan, however, knew he needed experienced heads to take the youngsters under their wing and help them develop into NRL players. 

The belief has contributed to one of the biggest roster overhauls in the competition, veterans Damien Cook, Valentine Holmes and Clint Gutherson joining the club this summer. 

Flanagan has copped plenty of heat externally for the moves but remains confident the strategy will deliver results over the coming weeks. 

"We identified that we were inconsistent last year and had a void in leadership," Flanagan said. "Part of our recruitment strategy was that we needed people that are consistent and are good leaders. 

"That's exactly what we went out and did. [The recruits] will play a major part in this group, whether it's in the captaincy or our leadership structure, they'll be in there."

Flanagan's recruitment drive wasn't confined to experienced heads, with promising halfback Lachlan Illias joining the club after Hunt's exit and Australian sevens star Nathan Lawson set to arrive once his rugby commitments wrap up. 

The duo join a promising crop of youngsters led by outside back Tyrell Sloan and the Couchman twins. 

Dig a bit deeper and the list of rookies with the talent to become regular first graders is a long one. Forwards Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Hamish Stewart and Dylan Egan and halfback Lyhkan King-Togia are all destined for bright futures. 

The combined St George and Illawarra junior nurseries have long been fertile ground for the Dragons however they have struggled to develop talented youngsters into elite NRL players. 

Just two members of the Steelers 2019 SG Ball winning team remain in the club's Top 30 squad for 2025.

It's a situation Flanagan is determined to ensure does not repeat itself, with St George claiming the SG Ball premiership last season. 

It's why the coach placed a heavy emphasis on leadership and experience when chasing recruits for 2025 and he's already seeing the benefits of his strategy.

"A lot of the boys are learning," Flanagan said. "As coaches we try to coach as much as we can.

"We can use video and have discussions with players but if you've got senior players that can be another tentacle of your coaching and help coach along the way with tips for the young blokes is so valuable. 

"That's what blokes like Gutho and Cooky bring to the side. It's all the little pieces along the way, every time they show them something they add something."

The Dragons roster overhaul this off-season has been extensive. Nine players from the Top 30 are no longer with the club, a group headlined by Zac Lomax and Ben Hunt, and also featuring Jack Bird and Max Feagai. 

Along with his experienced recruits, Flanagan has promoted from within to fill out his squad. 

Perhaps most pleasing for the coach is the fact his new recruits have bought into the process and taken on the role of leaders for the youngsters on and off the field.

Cook has fond memories of his early years in the Dragons system, the Helensburgh junior mentored by Ben Creagh and Jason Nightingale as he worked his way into the top flight.

Having returned home 11 years later, the dummy half is ready to develop the next generation and set St George Illawarra up long-term success.

"When I first left I was a young kid who just wanted to be an NRL player and the Dragons gave me that opportunity," Cook said. "I went away and now I've come back as a senior player and I'll strive to be with the young boys all the time I'm spending here. 

"I hope I can bring some of my experience and leadership down here. It's unbelievable some of the talent here, we have some phenomenal 18-year-olds. It's a bright future and hopefully, along with Gutho, Val and Tom Eisenhuth, I can bring that experience and can really help this club grow into the powerhouse that it deserves to be."

Cook joins a team that came within one win of making the finals in Flanagan's first season in charge. Pre-season favourites for the wooden spoon, the Dragons sat eighth after 24 rounds before losing their final three games to miss the playoffs.

While there were flashes of brilliance, St George Illawarra was a young side that struggled to maintain consistency throughout games and the season. 

Flanagan was disappointed with the way the campaign finished but recognises the foundation for future success has been laid. 

Results might not be immediate but the coach is confidence he has the cattle in place to execute his playing style. 

"You can say you're going to be ruthless defensively but you need to have those people within your team," he said. "You can't just flick a switch and all of a sudden be aggressive. You can't flip a switch and all of a sudden be super skilful. 

"You need to train and practice and become that football team. We need to train, get into our trials and start to expose what sort of footy team we want to be. I've got an idea in the front of my mind of what sort of team I want this club to be but I'll keep that to myself."

While pleased with the squad he's assembled for next season, Flanagan hasn't stopped wheeling and dealing.

The coach is eyeing a middle forward to complete his Top 30 for 2025 and he's already turned his focus to the future. 

Cronulla playmaker Daniel Atkinson is set to join the Dragons in 2026, while a host of big names are available on the player market.

Having laid the foundation, Flanagan has his eye on continuing to build a roster that can complement the talented crop of youngsters he's moulding into NRL stars. 

"As a coach you're always greedy and looking to improve your squad but I'm really happy with the recruits you've got," he said. 

"[Holmes, Cook, Gutherson and Ilias] are four quality players and we've got one or two others still to come with Nathan Lawson and I'm excited to coach him.

"We're a lot better side than we were last year and hopefully there are some good times ahead."