'He's going all right': Clint Gutherson's assurance for axed Kyle Flanagan after 'wild' 48 hours

Dragons co-captain Clint Gutherson insists axed halfback Kyle Flanagan remains an "important part" of the squad, while the young gun who dislodged him, Kade Reed, says there's no bad blood between them.

Only a day after Shane Flanagan was sacked as head coach, interim Dean Young dropped the axe on his son Kyle for the Dragons' clash with the Roosters on Anzac Day.

Reed, a product of local club Western Suburbs Red Devils and the Dragons academy, will suit up for his NRL debut at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

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Speaking after a 48-hour period he described as "wild", Gutherson said Flanagan remained a key member of the squad despite being demoted from halfback to the extended bench.

"I spoke to Kyle the last couple of days just to make sure he's all right as a person," Gutherson told media on Wednesday.

"There's a lot bigger things than rugby league. It's about making sure we look after each other.

"He's still an important part of our squad and, look, he's going all right.

"The best way for Kyle is to get back into footy, and I think he's still on the bench there and, who knows, he might be able to play."

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Reed will line up at halfback alongside five-eighth Daniel Atkinson, who only joined the club in the off-season.

Flanagan will be used on the six-man bench as cover for the halves and hooker Damien Cook.

"He [Kyle Flanagan] is going all right – as good as can be," Gutherson added.

"We've just gotta stay around him and make sure he's still part of this squad, and he knows that as well."

Almost immediately after being told by Dragons bosses on Monday afternoon that he'd scored the interim head coach gig, Young drove to Reed's house to hand the 20-year-old his NRL debut.

"It's been fine," Reed said of his relationship with Kyle Flanagan.

"Kyle's always been really good to me and still is. He's obviously disappointed, but he's happy for me at the same time, and nothing's changed between me and Kyle. We've always had a good relationship and we still do."

Baptisms of fire don't come much fiercer than the one the fresh-faced Reed is about to walk into.

But as the Red V rookie prepares to steer the last-placed Dragons around the park against a premiership fancy in front of 40,000 at Allianz Stadium on an occasion as sacrosanct as Anzac Day, he's showing no signs of being overawed.

"I obviously had a goal coming into this year that I wanted to play NRL," Reed said.

"Whether that was early or late, it didn't bother me.

"I wanted to make sure that when I was called upon I was ready. I'm ready."

Blues and Kangaroos back-rower Angus Crichton is sure to be charging at Reed all day.

Asked how he felt about that, he delivered a brilliant answer.

"I think tackling [teammates] Looch [Luciano Leilua] and [Jaydn] Su'A every day for the last two years has definitely helped," Reed said.

"In a way, it doesn't get a lot harder than those two, doing that every day. I think that's definitely been a big thing."

Shane Flanagan and Ben Haran were on Monday let go from their respective head coach and general manager of football roles.

A day later, Young punted assistant coach Michael Ennis, and the axing of Kyle Flanagan followed hours later.

"Wild. It's been busy, a lot going on. It's disappointing but it's rugby league; you've gotta be able to bounce back pretty quickly," Gutherson said.

"I think we did that this morning. We all got in a meeting together and said what we wanted to do and how we wanted to train and go into this week preparing well."