Andrew Johns urges Kyle Flanagan to improve running game, as coach heaps praise on replacement

Rugby league legend Andrew Johns has urged axed Roosters halfback Kyle Flanagan to work on his running game if he is to work his way back into Trent Robinson's side.

Flanagan's non-selection shocked NRL fans after he was pivotal in the reigning premiers' fast start following the COVID-19 hiatus, but the Roosters marched on despite the absence of the 21-year-old against the Dragons.

Speaking after the game, Johns explained how Flanagan needed to improve, but said the young halfback would be "back for sure".

"I've been impressed with the way Kyle is going, but part of his game hasn't flourished," Johns told Nine's Macca's Thursday Night Golden Point.

"I think he's been really steady. He just needs to go away and work on his game, different parts of his game.

"I think he needs to work on his running game. His support play and his kicking game has been dynamite.

"Defensively he's been really strong, they've targeted him defensively all year and he's stood up, but physically he needs to work on his body.

"I think he really needs to work on his running game and just mixing it up and working on the combinations all over the field.

"He'll be back for sure, but Lachlan Lam was impressive tonight."

Going off Robinson's words regarding Lam after the match, Flanagan will have his work cut out form him if he wants to break back into the starting lineup.

"I thought his short kicking was really good," Robinson said of Lam.

"I thought he asked a lot of questions of the backfield.

"Positionally we could have finished a little bit deeper. But he's active, he asks lots of questions and I thought he had some good combinations there tonight. So that was a good game."