A BATTLE OF SAVVY MENTORS
Top coaches back in box
The Titans are bracing for a Ben Hunt-inspired Dragons ambush when NRL coaching heavyweights Des Hasler and Shane Flanagan relaunch their careers.
Hasler and Flanagan will return to an NRL coach’s box on Saturday night when Gold Coast and St George Illawarra launch their 2024 premiership campaigns at Cbus Super Stadium.
Now in charge of the Titans, Hasler sat out the entire 2023 season following a messy exit from Manly after the Sea Eagles finished 11th in 2022.
Meanwhile, Flanagan hasn’t been in an NRL head coach’s position since 2018 at Cronulla after being found to have breached the conditions of his 2014 suspension relating to the Sharks’ peptides scandal.
Flanagan, 58, was one of the NRL’s top coaches before he was rubbed out of the game, guiding the Sharks to six straight finals appearances (2012-13 and 2015-18), including the memorable 2016 premiership.
The Dragons have been written off by pundits for season 2024, but Titans veteran Kieran Foran said Flanagan would have them primed for an upset.
“Flanno’s been around a long time. You can’t doubt his credentials and what he’s been able to do with footy sides over the years is pretty special,” he said.
“I’m sure he’s taken that approach to the Dragons. What he did at Cronulla, he wouldn’t change too much from that approach.
“He’ll be building big belief in that footy team and you can see it with the way they’ve played. They look confident and right up for it.
“They will be good. Judging by their trial (34-18 win against
Wests), I thought they looked in really good shape physically. Across the board they looked fit and strong. They were competing really hard on every play.
“They have big outside backs with strong carriers across the park and a really crafty spine with none other than Ben Hunt.
“They are a dangerous footy team and we’ll have to make sure we’re performing at our best to beat them.”
While Flanagan is preparing to coach his 186th NRL game, and first since 2018, Hasler is gearing up for 459th.
Hasler, 63, kicked off his NRL coaching career with Manly in 2004 and guided the Sea Eagles to the 2008 and 2011 premierships during his first stint at Brookvale.
He took the Bulldogs to the 2012 and 2014 grand finals, losing both, and has featured in five premiership deciders in 18 seasons as a coach.
Foran was coached by Hasler in Manly’s 2011 title-winning team and said the ‘Mad Professor’ hadn’t changed.
“He is the same. He is very passionate and wants to see this club do well,” he said.
“It’ll be very important to him for us to start well this week. There’s no excuses or reasons why we shouldn’t be able to go out there and put on a great performance.
“Des has got a wonderful ability to get players up for footy games. We’ve got to not get overawed by the occasion and back what we’ve done over the last four months.
“We’ve done the work and I’ve got great confidence and belief in where we’re heading this year. It’s a matter of backing ourselves now.”
Ironically, a player that was looking to join the Titans this season will be out to ruin their season-opener on home soil.
Hunt was heavily linked to
Gold Coast after seeking a release from his Dragons contract last year amid the sacking of coach Anthony Griffin.
Flanagan rejected his halfback’s request and is now hoping the Queensland Origin star can orchestrate an upset win against the Titans.
Foran said he wasn’t fazed by reports linking Hunt with a move to the Titans, but admitted his team had to shut down the Dragons’ best player.
“Ben Hunt is a great player and has been for a long time. He’ll be a focus point for us on how we nullify him and shut him down,” he said.