Just days after his departure from St George-Illawarra, Shane Flanagan has expressed interest in returning to coaching, eyeing a potential role with a Super League team. The 60-year-old coach concluded his stint with the Dragons by losing the last 11 matches of the season, leading to his replacement by assistant Dean Young, who will take over for the remainder of the year.
Given that Flanagan may not be viewed as a leading candidate for NRL head coaching positions anytime soon, he might find the Super League to be a more viable avenue if he’s not keen on assistant roles. Reports from Love Rugby League indicate that Flanagan is particularly interested in the head coach vacancy at Catalans Dragons, suggesting he had anticipated his departure from the Dragons for some time.
Sources reveal that a potential deal with Catalans may come with a reduced salary, as the club has been making cuts to its budget this year. Currently, Ryan Sheridan is acting as interim coach for Catalans following the departure of Steve McNamara, who left after a nine-year tenure.
In addition to Catalans, Flanagan could emerge as a strong candidate for other coaching opportunities in Super League, especially with Hull KR’s Willie Peters set to leave for the PNG Chiefs and Huddersfield Giants having recently sacked Luke Robinson. However, it’s uncertain if Flanagan would consider positions at either of these clubs.
Catalans Dragons have had a somewhat inconsistent start to their 2026 season, currently positioned sixth on the league table with five wins from eight games.