A player swap between Canterbury halfback Kyle Flanagan and St George Illawarra counterpart Jayden Sullivan has been floated in a bid to solve the playmaking issues at both clubs.
The development has put Flanagan’s father, Shane, in an invidious position given he is part of the Dragons’ recruitment committee at a time when he has publicly put himself forward for the Bulldogs head-coaching position.
The blue and whites are looking for a long-term replacement for Trent Barrett, with interim Mick Potter taking the reins for the remainder of the season. It comes at a time when there is uncertainty over the future of Kyle Flanagan, who has been in and out of first grade during his stint at Belmore.
Flanagan is contracted until the end of next season, while Sullivan is signed to the Red V until the end of 2025. Sullivan has struggled to establish himself in coach Anthony Griffin’s side, making just four appearances off the bench, predominantly as a back-up hooker.
Given that Ben Hunt is the established halfback and Talatau Amone has been preferred as his halves partner, Sullivan would likely need to leave to consistently wear the No.7 jersey.
Kyle Flanagan’s role as Canterbury conductor has been under scrutiny almost from the moment he arrived at Belmore.
Complicating issues even further is the likelihood that Ben Hunt will be re-signed before his contract expires, limiting Sullivan’s chances of progression into the starting side.
Speaking on the weekend, Shane Flanagan said he could deal with the potential conflicts of interest in coaching at the Bulldogs while his son is on the books.
“I coached for two or three years at the Sharks,” Shane Flanagan told 2GB. “I brought Matt Moylan in and Chad Townsend as the current halves at that stage after James Moloney left.
“At that stage, Kyle wasn’t ready to play first grade and I had no problems buying someone over [him]. He made his debut back in 2018 and he played some games here and there between ’18 and ’19. But if he’s not the best halfback in the club, no matter where I be at, he doesn’t play.”
Canterbury supremo Phil Gould has publicly stated the club requires an experienced coach for the role, limiting the availability options to the likes of Shane Flanagan and Paul Green. Jim Dymock, a former Bulldogs player and coach, is the only other potential candidate to publicly express an interest in the role.