Source : ABC NEWS
Dean Young has proclaimed halfback Kade Reed is not St George Illawarra’s “saviour” after handing the 20-year-old his NRL debut at the expense of Kyle Flanagan.
Young named his first team on Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after taking over from the ousted Shane Flanagan, Kyle’s father.
Kyle has been moved to the bench, marking the first time since he arrived at the Dragons in 2024 — when Shane took over as coach — that the former Shark, Rooster and Bulldog has not been a first-choice half for the team.
Of 55 potential games in that time, Kyle had missed four through suspension and one through injury.
Shane Flanagan had expressed concern about handing Reed an NRL start, but in the first team list of his caretaker tenure, Young showed no such hesitation.
The decision to bench Kyle (left) came less than 24 hours after his father Shane (right) was replaced by Dean Young. (Getty Images: Ian Hitchcock)
He was adamant he was not risking Reed’s long-term development by blooding the pint-sized number seven in one of the most emotionally charged fixtures on the NRL calendar, when the winless Red V face the Sydney Roosters in their traditional Anzac Day clash on Saturday.
“People will probably judge my decision and say that we’re 0-7 and chucking in a kid on debut on Anzac Day is risky,” said Young, who has been locked into the coaching role at least until the end of the year.
“I wouldn’t do it unless I believed in him and I wanted him to know that I believe in him.
“His parents fully know that I’m in there for the long haul with him and he’s a big part of the future.”
He said the shake-up was necessary as the bottom-placed Dragons looked to avoid a 12th-straight loss across this season and the back end of the 2025 campaign.
“We need change and where we’re going isn’t getting us to where we want to go,” Young said.
“We’re getting the same results each week where we’re leading games and then not getting it done.
“We need a bit of a circuit breaker and I know Kade will do a good job, but Kade Reed is not the saviour of this club.
“He needs the 16 players that take the field on the weekend to do their job, and then he’ll be able to do his.”
In another major decision to start his time in charge, Young also showed assistant and attack coach Michael Ennis the door.
Ennis, who was believed to have been in the running for the interim role, said he was shocked by the swift move.
“Dean advised me this morning that he was changing his coaching structure and would no longer require me in my role,” Ennis wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
“Whilst I was surprised I could do nothing more than wish Dean, the playing group and the club all the best.”
NSW Cup coach Willie Talau and Tom Eisenhuth will assist the NRL side this week, with Young to take stock after Saturday’s game.
The Dragons have a bye after the Roosters clash.
“I’ve got some time to look at what options I’ve got,” Young said.
“I’ve got strong views on where the club’s at, where it needs to go … but those conversations are pointless at this time.”
AAP/ABC
