Could Shane Flanagan and Kyle Flanagan still head for Super League?

It was a rumour that did the rounds earlier in the season when Richard Agar departed Leeds Rhinos.

Shane Flanagan and son Kyle were linked with a move to Headingley as part of a father-son package deal, but nothing ever came from that and Leeds ended up recruiting Rohan Smith as their new boss.

However, that’s not to say that a Super League deal could not still be made.

With Hull KR needing a new head coach for 2023 and beyond following the departure of Tony Smith at the end of 2022, could they make a play for the family in a bid to continue the great work done by Smith?

Daily Telegraph columnist Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield had previously poured cold water on a Super League move for the duo after speaking to dad Shane earlier in the year.

When asked whether there was a chance that Flanagan senior and junior could move to Super League.

“He is on big money at Canterbury, Rothfield said on Fox Sports.”

“He is not going to get anywhere near that money.

“I asked his father the other day. I rang his father because I couldn’t get hold of Kyle.

“I said, is he going to England? There is a rumour. He said, not a chance.

“He can’t walk out on the money he is on to take less in England. You can’t do it.”

Halfback Flanagan is currently contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of 2023 on a deal worth $450,000 a season which means he would take up a hefty chunk of the KR salary cap.

However, the Robins have wasted no time in looking for a successor with an announcement expected in the next few weeks.

St Helens boss Kristian Woolf is also out of contract at the end of 2022 after winning everything possible with the Merseyside club, but a move back home has been the destination most talked about.