Kade Reed to debut for St George Illawarra Dragons in Anzac Day game after Shane Flanagan, Ben Haran, Michael Ennis club departure
Updated ,first published
New St George Illawarra coach Dean Young sensationally dropped halfback Kyle Flanagan and handed rookie halfback Kade Reed a debut on Anzac Day just a day after his father and coach left the club.
Young wasted no time in making his mark at the Dragons after handing over the mantle on an interim basis. The former premiership-winning striker had his brains’ confidence shaken when assistant coach Michael Ennis suggested he would be surplus to requirements on Tuesday morning. Ennis, who has been touted as an option to replace Flanagan in a long-term role, joins Shane Flanagan and general manager of football Ben Haran on the departure list.
The shake-up continued when Young named his first team for the Anzac Day encounter, widely regarded as the most important club match of the season.
Promising point guard Reed will make his debut in the No. 7 jersey, likely with a guard change. The 20-year-old was a standout player in pre-season but has been overlooked so far due to his age, frail frame and concerns he could get injured if he is introduced too early into a struggling side.
But Young made his first major draft call after taking over, looking to end an 11-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Ennis was part of the 2016 Cronulla title-winning team coached by Flanagan and the pair were very close.
The 42-year-old was popular with Dragons players, praised for his football IQ and described as the club’s best. best offseason recruit.
Fellow assistant Young was appointed as the club’s interim coach on Monday, and Ennis learned of the news through journalists, not club officials. Dragons NSW Cup coach Willie Talau is expected to be promoted to assistant coaching, while Tom Eisenhuth is also expected to take on a larger role at the Red V Brains trust.
Young is expected to speak to the media on Tuesday afternoon, when he names his first team ahead of Saturday’s Anzac Day clash with the Sydney Roosters. Some changes are expected to be made to the side that lost to South Sydney on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Ben Hornby, one of the leading candidates for the Dragons’ top job, is in the midst of negotiations for a coaching extension beyond this season in South Sydney, but the club has been allowed to leave if he can find a head coaching job elsewhere.
Souths CEO Blake Solly said: “We would love to see Ben stay at the club, he has made a huge contribution to us since coming here, but we also understand that he has ambitions to become head coach at some point.”
South captain Cameron Murray was surprised that Hornby had not already been targeted by rival clubs and said his communication skills and what he had achieved in the game as a player could not be overlooked.
There was also a view among some at Souths that Hornby would give the Dragons a much-needed fresh voice, unlike Young, who was with the club during their struggles.
“The way he takes over when he becomes ‘JD’ [Jason Demetriou] “We left in 2024 and the job he did when we were in the trenches and under pressure is obvious,” Murray said on Tuesday.
“He’s a great communicator, he knows the game ins and outs, he’s played at the highest level so he knows what it’s like as a player and a coach.
“He’s very relatable and a great person to talk to. If you want to sit down with someone and talk about your game, he always has great advice; he has everything it takes to be a really successful head coach.”
“It pains me to praise him and I hope it doesn’t contribute to his passing, but you can’t be mad at him either. He deserves a chance.”
Rabbitoh prop Keaon Koloamatangi has also moved to allay his fears after signing a five-year deal with the Dragons from next season.
“I live my life with no regrets; it was the best thing for me and my family at that time,” Koloamatangi said.
“It’s a decision I made, I stand by it and I’ll be there next year. Obviously, [the Dragons situation] “It’s unfortunate, but I will always do my best, no matter what jersey I wear and whoever my coach is.”
Chris Barrett is senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Southeast Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age newspapers.Connect with: X or email.
