News Peter Sterling says Canterbury Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan's career is at a crossroads after being hooked

djdeep4172

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Rugby league great Peter Sterling said Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan's NRL career is at a crossroads after he was hooked at half-time in yesterday's loss to the Dragons.

With the game still in the balance at 6-0, Trent Barrett opted to take Flanagan from the field and insert Lachlan Lewis into the game.

"Word from the Bulldogs' bench is that Kyle Flanagan isn't injured," Nine's sideline reporter Danika Mason said.

"He has been pulled, which is pretty disappointing for his dad Shane Flanagan, who has come to watch him today."

"It's harsh, but the very fact that you're taken out of this contest when the game was still winnable is not a great sign," Sterling said on Wide World of Sports' Sterlo's Wrap.

"I still think he's probably going to be their best option, but they've got to get more out of him."

Sterling said Flanagan's knowledge of the game had to improve, and that he needed to attack the line more.

"They had a couple of forwards who dented the line - Kyle has got to be in their slipstream, then who knows what can come from that."

The St George Illawarra Dragons hosted the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in round 9 of the 2021 season.
While Flanagan isn't the only halfback that can be accused of playing too structured, it was accentuated in a struggling team - the Bulldogs sit bottom, having won just one game this season.

"It's not easy at his age, and he is an inexperienced halfback - but he did have pretty much a full season at the Roosters, so he should have learned plenty there," Sterling said.

"He's just got to work out where he can be more effective for his football team."

And while father Shane was in the stands as a parent, Sterling said it would be a good idea for the young halfback to lean on the 2016 grand final-winning coach for advice on how to lift his own game.

"He's got a nice sounding board there," he said.

"I don't know if that happens or not, but I think if I was Kyle, I'd be going to Dad and saying 'take your hat off as my father and give me some advice as to what you think I should be doing better'.

"It's a tough situation."

Sterling said although he was never hooked, he was dropped to reserve grade a couple of times.

"It dents your confidence, but you've just got to come back stronger."

The Bulldogs will play the Raiders at this weekend's Magic Round.
 

CaptainJackson

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And while father Shane was in the stands as a parent, Sterling said it would be a good idea for the young halfback to lean on the 2016 grand final-winning coach for advice on how to lift his own game.

"He's got a nice sounding board there," he said.

"I don't know if that happens or not, but I think if I was Kyle, I'd be going to Dad and saying 'take your hat off as my father and give me some advice as to what you think I should be doing better'.
His dad is going to tell him to take peptides.
 

Shire Dog

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What does sterlo think that his dad isn’t giving him any advice or he should ask for some.
Is he kidding, must have forgot the guy coached first grade.
Stuff would be said in private 100%
Shane attended all the Colts games & kept tabs on everything behind the scenes.
 
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the12thman

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It's up to Kyle now. Whether he plays for first grade or Mounties come out a play great.

No more bitching about what happened at the Roosters or how crap our squad is.

Its on him now. Prove everyone wrong.
 

CBDoggies

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I’m sorry but the kid is playing off the back of his fathers name. Surly people can see he just isn’t a quality nrl half back. Maybe he needs some time in nsw cup or even a couple of years in super league to get better but for me, this kid was dropped from the roosters for a reason and it’s becoming more clear why.
 

TABOO

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What does sterlo think that his dad isn’t giving him any advice or he should ask for some.
Is he kidding, must have forgot the guy coached first grade.
Stuff would be said in private 100%
Shane attended all the Colts games & kept tabs on everything behind the scenes.
You go to colts games mate?
 

CaptainJackson

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What does sterlo think that his dad isn’t giving him any advice or he should ask for some.
Is he kidding, must have forgot the guy coached first grade.
Stuff would be said in private 100%
Shane attended all the Colts games & kept tabs on everything behind the scenes.
It's the only reason he's in 1st grade IMO.

His dad was head coach at Cronulla, won a dubious/asterix premiership and had he not been booted out, everyone can pretty much say with 100% certainty Kyle would be Cronulla's starting half back, i.e. Cronulla ear marked him for 1st grade based on his dad. Without his dad, I don't think he goes beyond reserve grade. Trindall at the Sharks is heaps better than Kyle, yet hardly anyone raves about Trindall the way everyone was raving about Kyle 2 seasons ago.
 

Malla

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The kick out on full on tackle one.. when we were in their red zone .. was one of the worst plays ive seen from an NRL halfback..

Bad execution aside it was completely the wrong play..
Have you never watched a Broncos game in the last 3 years?
 

B-Train

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Sharks/Tigers probably end up with reynolds but we should seriously be having a crack
Or Brisbane... I'd love Reynolds but I doubt we can afford him if we're signing Smith or another hooker and still need another two or three starting forwards on top of that..
 

Kempsey Dog

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Jack Cogger or signing Jake Clifford were my prefered options at 7. Once those options were gone Flanagan was really all that was left as an opportunistic signing from the Chooks. Yes he sucks now but he's far better than what he's showing, we witnessed his 3 try assists against Newcastle and they were pretty good. I'm not writing the kid off until the end of 2022, if Lewis and all these other duds can be afforded so much time I think Flanno deserves some leeway, if Jackson and Tolman were still playing tightening up the middle and the rules were that of last season's I think things wouldn't seem as worse and would be pretty similar.
 

maroondog72

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Anyone at the club got George Williams number?
 

maroondog72

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Jack Cogger or signing Jake Clifford were my prefered options at 7. Once those options were gone Flanagan was really all that was left as an opportunistic signing from the Chooks. Yes he sucks now but he's far better than what he's showing, we witnessed his 3 try assists against Newcastle and they were pretty good. I'm not writing the kid off until the end of 2022, if Lewis and all these other duds can be afforded so much time I think Flanno deserves some leeway, if Jackson and Tolman were still playing tightening up the middle and the rules were that of last season's I think things wouldn't seem as worse and would be pretty similar.
Clifford would have been worse than flanagan in this team, we should have kept cogger for mine.
 

Howie B

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Jack Cogger or signing Jake Clifford were my prefered options at 7. Once those options were gone Flanagan was really all that was left as an opportunistic signing from the Chooks. Yes he sucks now but he's far better than what he's showing, we witnessed his 3 try assists against Newcastle and they were pretty good. I'm not writing the kid off until the end of 2022, if Lewis and all these other duds can be afforded so much time I think Flanno deserves some leeway, if Jackson and Tolman were still playing tightening up the middle and the rules were that of last season's I think things wouldn't seem as worse and would be pretty similar.
I am not prepared to write him off either. Of course he has a lot of work to do but he has a fair bit going against him :

1. Diabolical service from dummy half ;
2. An inexperienced five eighth ;
3. No creativity in the fullback position ;
4. A forward pack that gets smashed every week ;
5. Not much pace in the outside backs ;
6. Continually getting dominated in possession because 75% of our blokes cant hold the fuckin ball

There's not many 22 year old halfbacks that could deal with the above.

I would be punting a lot of blokes before him. In order :

Katoa
Waddell
Hopoate
C. Smith
Averillo (I would put him at centre)
 

bulldogsmyte

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All the rumours about the Rorters releasing Flanagan because his dad kept phoning Robisnson must be bullshit. They released him because he was bog average me thinks.
I got flamed on the TK for it but I said last year when we signed Flanno that the Chooks released him because he wasn't up to their standard and they had a young HB in reserves yet to play first grade who was far better. As my brother is a long time chooks fan I watched a fair few of their games last year and it was clearly obvious that Flanno had no running game, did not threaten the opposition when he had the ball and was limited to premeditated football and telegraphed passes. EVERYONE at the Chooks knew that Sam Walker was the real deal and Flanno was far below him in ability.
 
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