Ex-Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC target Kyle Flanagan on rumoured Super League move

Halfback Kyle Flanagan has been doing it tough in the NRL in recent years.

After being hailed as the great new coming at the Sydney Roosters, things fell flat for Flanagan with a move to the Canterbury Bulldogs ahead of the 2021 season expected to freshen things up.

Since then, however, the 23-year-old has been under considerable pressure to perform and was often the scapegoat under previous head coaches at Belmore.

Flanagan has now, however, become one of the most important lynchpins in the Bulldogs side, complementing fellow halfback Matt Burton and helping Canterbury move away from the bottom of the NRL ladder.

Under interim coach Mick Potter, the Bulldogs and Flanagan look rejuvenated with the halfback forgetting the early parts of the season under previous boss Trent Barrett.

And, after enjoying his rugby league once more, the 23-year-old has revealed he wants to stay at Belmore for the foreseeable future even after being linked with Super League moves to the Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC.

Earlier this year when Richard Agar stepped down as Leeds boss, Flanagan’s name was touted as a potential target alongside his coaching father, Shane, in a ‘package deal’.

That never materialised, yet, in July, Flanagan’s name again came up, linked with a move to Hull FC who had just got rid of former Bulldogs star Josh Reynolds.

The Mole at the Wide World of Sports revealed that the halfback had turned down a move to the Black and Whites and it’s now obvious why – he wants to stay at Belmore.

Flanagan has said: “I love the Bulldogs,” he told the Canterbury Bulldogs website.

“They gave me the opportunity and I like to think that I have turned things around.”

“Things are going forward now for the club and as I’ve said before, if we keep winning and combinations keep building then this footy team will get better.”

“I am loving my time here, and I want to definitely extend here.”

When asked about the link to Hull, the halfback joked.

“The first time I got out there on social media and shut that stuff down, that was the first I’d heard of it.

“I’m on contract here next year at the Bulldogs and keep winning footy games, I won’t have to listen to that sort of stuff.”