'Best halfback in the club': Shane Flanagan defends son Kyle's return, vows to 'battle on' as Dragons coach

Shane Flanagan has vowed to "battle on" as Dragons coach, while also defending the decision to bring his son Kyle back for a must-win round six clash.

After a winless 0-5 start to the season compounded a poor end to last year, Flanagan has found himself under increasing pressure to remain at the helm.

Since taking over two years ago, Flanagan has overseen some improvements but the on-field results have taken a significant step backwards in more recent times and there have been growing calls for the Dragons to move on from him as coach.

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But despite the external noise from the fans growing, Flanagan is adamant he is still the right person for the job and will continue fighting until that changes.

"Without a doubt - it's what I've done for the last 20-something years," he told media during a lengthy press conference on Thursday.

"I've never been through this experience, but you've just got to battle on. I'm not worried about my future, I've got more important things to worry about.

"I've got to worry about the club and I value the stability and the team and the whole organisation, rather than self. I've just got to do my best, I'm not worried about me.

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"If I do that and do my job and we get through it, that's good and if we don't, I can walk away and say that I tried my best. I'm here to do a job and I still feel I'm the best person for it ... I've done it for 20 years, so I think I can do it.

"It's the NRL, if you don't win it [pressure] is gonna come. I can't believe, to be honest, the way we attack each other in our great game.

"I understand it, but I don't enjoy it and I don't encourage what's going on. I wouldn't wish what's gone on with me in the last couple of weeks upon anyone."

Flanagan confirmed he had been involved in discussions with a "disappointed" St George Illawarra hierarchy since last weekend's dismal 32-0 loss against the Cowboys, but will keep the nature of the conversations private for now.

The attention has now turned to the return of Kyle from concussion, with the coach's son now thrust into the No.7 jumper to potentially save his father's job.

The oft-maligned playmaker was knocked out in scary fashion in round four, but has passed all the necessary testing and will line up against the Sea Eagles on Friday night.

The coach is confident Flanagan Jr is the right man to play halfback this week, with star recruit Daniel Atkinson switching to his more natural role of five-eighth.

"He's our best halfback in the club, he competes hard and if you ask all the other coaches … I don't go and pick Kyle because of his surname," Flanagan said.

"He's got to do a job and he is in our top three or four players, competitive-wise, week-in and week-out. He's our best halfback in the club at the moment, so we're picking him.

"We just feel that Kyle's strength is to organise the team and get them around the park. Daniel's probably felt a bit of pressure, especially last week with Kyle not there, to do both. His strength is his running game and he's got a good kick on him.

"It will take the pressure off Daniel and we'll go back to Kyle's strengths. It's a change in number, but a change in mindset."

Flanagan was also peppered with questions about the misfiring Dragons roster, which has been largely built by him since his arrival at the end of 2023, where he pointed to the exits of three representative-level players as a major spanner in the works.

"Everyone will have an opinion on that, but it's hard," he said.

"If you look back 12 or 18 months ago, our marquee halfback [Ben Hunt] walked out on the club. When your halfback walks out with no future plan, it's hard to all of a sudden say 'he's gone, what's next' and most clubs will have a three or four-year plan.

"We had to scramble there and then obviously the Zac Lomax situation and Francis Molo - we've had a bit to deal with."

St George Illawarra will host Manly at WIN Stadium at 6pm on Friday night.