Flanagan gets sacked (caught with the ball looking like a deer in headlights, not knowing what option to take) more than any other half in the NRL and he did it at least 3 times again on the weekend. He doesn't know how to unlock anyone on his outside - he doesn't know how to create, the best bit of play we had on the right was when Reynolds created a half chance. Flanagan stifles the attack as soon as he gets the ball, he's literally Waddell but in a spine position. It was evident there's been little to no improvement from last season. When we play the Sharks this week maybe then it'll be blatant enough for blind people watching (it was literally on display against a reserve grade Raider team). Every half in the top 30 we have, and almost every half we have at the club (probably besides Hayward) would be a better option that Flanagan. I honestly thought Flanagan was in our top 5 worst players from our starting 13 on the weekend and most of the others were due to lack of involvement (2 on Flanagan's side).
You really need to take your Flanagan hate glasses off and actually watch the game for a change.
As I have pointed out, Averillo called for the kick, last second, no time for Flanagan to do anything but try a speculator. There was communication between the kicker and the catcher. In this case it was on, Averillo has the pace and there was space down the RHS. Plus there were only seconds left in the half, so zero risk, very pleased to see that they had a go at it.
WTF, "gets sacked", talk about confusing, people whinging about Flanagan not running the ball, then people whinging because he runs the ball and gets tackled. FMD that happens often when you run the ball, when anyone runs the ball. Then people complain that he avoids contact, but he is one of the best defensively in the team, oxymoronic.
I call bullshit on the "stifles the attack", on the left he set up the Okunbor try, that wasn't on until he set it up with a spot on cut out pass (they have to be good for Okunbor to catch them). On the right he was the one backing up to receive the late offload from Kiraz that lead to the Averillo break and was also the one backing Averillo up and possibly would have scored if Averillo didn't get ankle tapped. On the right Flanagan also ran the block play (that Mahony dummied to) that drew the defence for the Sutton barge over.
He is currently the best backer upper we have in the team and more often than not he is the player ready for an offload. I also noticed when Mahony couldn't get to the play ball he jumped into dummy half and did a more than passable job. Since you obviously had your hate glasses on you probably also didn't notice that when Mahony was off Flanagan was the Captain.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think Flanagan is perfect, far from it, and he has a lot to prove this year to earn a gig next year, anywhere. But when it comes to Flanagan your expectation bias and blind disregard for the facts is grotesquely over the top.
Always a Bulldog