Dragons name Flanagan's replacement after 12 hours without head coach

Topic:NRL

Dean Young has been an interim assistant at the Dragons in the past. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)

Dean Young has been named Shane Flanagan's replacement at the Dragons after the club went about 12 hours without a coach.

Young served as interim Dragons coach in 2020, and his appointment is for "at least" the rest of 2026.

Young will name his first team this afternoon as the Dragons prepare for their traditional Anzac Day clash with the Roosters.

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Dean Young could do worse than give Kieran Foran a call as he begins the task of snapping St George Illawarra's longest losing streak and avoiding their first wooden spoon as a joint venture.

The Dragons went almost 12 hours without a head coach yesterday after an 11-game losing streak led the last-placed NRL club to part ways with Shane Flanagan.

Last night, the struggling Dragons announced premiership player and assistant coach Young would take the reins for "at least" the remainder of the year.

"Dean understands this club better than most," chief executive Tim Watsford said in a statement.

"He has a deep connection to the Dragons and the respect of our players and staff."

Like Dean Young, Kieran Foran also took the reins of his old club after a winless start to the season. (AAP: Jono Searle)

Young's first task is to settle on a team for the winless Dragons' most important game of the regular season: the traditional Anzac Day clash against the Sydney Roosters.

The 42-year-old has little time to waste in turning the Dragons' season around.

Only seven rounds in, the Red V is already two wins behind 16th-placed Gold Coast and in a fight to avoid its first last-placed finish since the Dragons and Steelers joined forces in 1999.

Prior to the ongoing 11-game run, the Dragons had never lost more than eight games in a row as a joint venture.

But Young needs only look to the other side of Sydney for proof that dire situations can turn around quickly.

Foran had been untested as a head coach when Manly fired Anthony Seibold three games into the season and appointed him to take charge.

The Sea Eagles have won their three matches since to storm into sixth place on the ladder, with Foran's more recent playing experience and club pedigree proving a hit with his team.

Kieran Foran says he will not be afraid to have hard conversations with former teammates as he prepares to complete the fastest shift from NRL player to head coach this century.

Both played in their respective club's last premiership team more than a decade ago, but return with those previous golden days a long way in the rear-view mirror.

Unlike Foran, though, Young brings a long stint as an assistant coach into the hot seat.

The son of Dragons legend and former coach Craig, Young served as interim coach when the club fired Paul McGregor during the 2020 season.