Star NRL signing keen to improve spine including ex-Leeds Rhinos & Hull FC target after ex-Hull KR man replaced him at former club
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 11: Reed Mahoney of the Eels sits on the exercise bike during the round five NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and St George Illawarra Dragons at Bankwest Stadium on April 11, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire RUGBY: APR 11 NRL Rd 5 - Eels v Dragons Icon2104111860
Kyle Flanagan was tipped for big things when he replaced Cooper Cronk at Sydney Roosters and helped defeat St Helens in the 2020 World Club Challenge.
However, things didn’t go according to plan after that and he subsequently moved to Canterbury Bulldogs where he has somewhat been a scapegoat for their struggles.
The halfback has been routinely linked with a move to Super League.
Leeds Rhinos were reportedly interested in the halfback when Chief Executive Gary Hetherington was looking for a new coach and was tipped to bring in Kyle’s father Shane along with the halfback in a double coup.
He was then linked with Hull FC but has stuck it out at Canterbury and now new signing Reed Mahoney is hoping to unlock the quality of Flanagan and the other players in the spine as he joins the Bulldogs after being replaced by former Hull KR hooker Josh Hodgson at Parramatta.
“The spine is the rock for the other players in the team to perform, so we all need to be on the same page,” Mahoney said to the Daily Telegraph.
“It won’t be about trying to outdo each other. It’s that we’re trying to work together.
“It’s about understanding each other’s roles and understanding what each player is best at.
“It’s little things like how you want the ball passed to you. How we communicate, when they want the ball.
“Those things go a long way.”