Before Round 1, Flanagan makes an unexpected call regarding the Dragons backline.
A key player and a major switch for the Dragons could be lost for Round 1.
Coach Shane Flanagan of the St George Illawarra Dragons has stated that the team will start Jack Bird in the centers for the entirety of 2024.
Prior to leading the Red V in their first game as their new head coach, Anthony Griffin, who was fired by the team in mid-2023, had a lot of questions to address. Griffin had previously served as the Red V’s assistant coach and list consultant.
The primary concern was whether Tyrell Sloan or Zach Lomax would start at fullback, but it seems Flanagan has put a wrench in the works by assigning Sloan to the position of fullback and Bird to take over Lomax’s right center spot.
On SEN 1170 Radio, Flanagan stated of Bird, “We’ve moved him to the centers; he’ll predominantly play, I would hope so, most of his footy in the centers.”
“He’ll play right center for the majority of his football, but he might fill in at five-eighth if we had an injury or form issues.
“He’s performed incredibly well; he’s gained muscle and lost a lot of weight. I’m hoping for an incredible season.”
Lomax, whose 2023 was mixed, tried switching sides early in the season, but it didn’t work out. After Griffin was fired as head coach, Moses Suli and Lomax were returned to their old lineup by acting head coach Ryan Carr, and by the end of the season, both players were playing well.
However, that does not imply that he will have a starring position come 2024.
Although Bird is a utility player, it has long been believed that using him in a single position will bring out the best in him. Unless Lomax now competes for a wing position, which is currently occupied by Mikele Ravalawa and belonged to Matthew Feagai at the end of the previous season, he might not play in the team.
As a fullback, Flanagan stated he sees a lot in Sloan.
Flanagan continued, “Sloan is a fullback down and out; that’s his best position.”
“He’s incredibly quick out of shape; not many players can match him. There are players akin to Reece Walsh, though I wouldn’t say he belongs in that category.”
They’re attempting to stop him with Receive Walsh and these guys out the back of forms because they know that if he gets one-on-one with a backrower, good luck trying to stop him.
Although he still needs to improve in a few areas, he’s performed admirably defensively. He has put a lot of effort into his defense, and we have addressed his flaws.
“Every training session, we address them at some point, and I believe he has bought into it.”
