{"id":361925,"date":"2024-01-22T18:20:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T19:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=361925"},"modified":"2024-01-22T21:03:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T21:03:09","slug":"awkward-dragons-reality-if-coachs-gamble-flops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=361925","title":{"rendered":"'Awkward' Dragons reality if coach's gamble flops"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the build-up to the 2024 NRL<\/a> season heats up, Wide World of Sports' The Mole<\/a> reveals the "critical factors" that will make or break every team.<\/p>\n

Here, he analyses the Dragons<\/a>, and the "awkward" dilemma facing new coach Shane Flanagan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Tennis hot-head's crowd reactions unravelled<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Sluggish security torched after protester wreaks havoc<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Heat batter's 'innings of a lifetime' secures final berth<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

'WORRY' OVER WANTAWAY STAR\ufeff<\/h3>\n

Ben Hunt has made it clear he hasn't been a happy camper at the Dragons for the past couple of seasons – a real worry when he is far and away the club's best player.<\/p>\n

And Hunt wanted sacked coach Anthony Griffin retained – so it will be interesting to see how his relationship with new boss Shane Flanagan develops.<\/p>\n

\"Ben<\/p>\n

Hunt has agreed to stay for 2024 – but if things don't work out he will seek a release to return to Queensland for 2025 and that will be disastrous for the Dragons.<\/p>\n

'AWKWARD' FAMILY BUSINESS<\/h3>\n

Still on Flanagan, and things could get awkward with the player he insisted on signing – son Kyle.<\/p>\n

Shane has a huge opinion of his boy, but the youngster still has to prove himself as a match-winning NRL playmaker.<\/p>\n

If the Dragons lose a few games on the trot – and there will be rough patches in 2024 – the heat could be on both father and son in the eyes of the beleaguered Dragons fans.<\/p>\n

Kyle has been dropped before – but will his dad be able to make the big call?<\/p>\n

Never easy for a father to coach his son (unless your last name is Cleary!).<\/p>\n

WHERE DOES THE BIRD LAND?\ufeff<\/h3>\n

One player who is a big fan of Flanagan – the coach – is rugged utility Jack Bird.<\/p>\n

The pair won a title together at the Sharks a few years back in possibly Bird's best season in the NRL.<\/p>\n

His career has been up and down since then, with injuries not helping his cause.<\/p>\n

But there is no doubting his ability and Bird is one of the most versatile players in the game.<\/p>\n

Last season alone he played at lock, centre and backrow as well as No.14.<\/p>\n

Flanagan plans to start him in the centres this year and if he gets time and space, could return to his best.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the build-up to the 2024 NRL season heats up, Wide World of Sports' The Mole reveals the "critical factors" that will make or break […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":361929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361925"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=361925"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":361930,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361925\/revisions\/361930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/361929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=361925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=361925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=361925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}