Young halfback Kyle Flanagan looms as the Sydney Roosters’ long-term replacement for Cooper Cronk after announcing he’ll join the NRL premiers from Cronulla next year.
Flanagan has signed a two-year deal with Roosters after his breakout 2019 campaign after being granted an early release by the Sharks.
The son of former Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan debuted for the club last year and has gone on to play in seven NRL games in 2019.
He said a lack of first-team opportunities at the Sharks had been behind his desire to move.
“It is disappointing to leave my junior club but I feel that I am ready to play regular NRL,” he said.
Cronk, who famously helped the club to last year’s premiership despite playing the grand final against his former club Melbourne with a broken scapula, has already announced he’ll call time on his 16-year career at season’s end.
Flanagan’s belief he’ll get more opportunity at the Roosters appears to strongly suggest he’ll be the man to fill Cronk’s void in 2020 and beyond.
“Kyle is a crafty playmaker and an exciting young talent, whose services we are delighted to have secured,” Roosters chief executive Joe Kelly said.
“We look forward to welcoming Kyle to the Roosters and to watching his development over the coming seasons.”
The departure of Flanagan is a blow to the Sharks given he is a local junior and one of the brightest prospects at the club.
The 20-year-old was under contract until the end of the 2021 campaign but the Sharks made the decision to grant his release.
“We are always disappointed to see our home-grown talent move on but in saying that we respect Kyle’s decision in requesting the release and wish him well in his future endeavours,” coach John Morris said.
“He has proven his ability to play at an NRL level but obviously he thought his best opportunity to play in the NRL was elsewhere.”
Larry1950
Guest
Interesting comment from a rookie 20 year old, "I think I'm ready to play regular NRL". Great to have confidence but I guess we'll see if he's ready to play regular 'consistent' NRL, at least he'll have as experienced a bunch that money can buy around him. When we've looked at rookie halves in recent years, they've all had stuttering career starts (Croft & Cleary for example) but the only way to get experience is to play with the big kids, ask Tom Dearden how tough it is. I expected more responses about roosters buying players despite a salary cap but at least Cronk going justifies space for a rookie.
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
Might explain why the roosters struggle with memberships. Not much respect for a club with no juniors that sits back and poaches good up and comers that have nurtured as juniors at other clubs.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
I don't expect Crichton's return to Redfern, nor do I pine after him mate. The Rabbitohs developed Angus Crichton into an Origin rep player in just 2 short years. It took the Roosters less than 6 months to undo all that good work and ruin "Gus's" rep career! It's sad to see such hard work go to waste and so much potential unrealised. It's just as sad to see the Sharks lose such a fine young talent in Kyle Flanagan who they produced. The Roosters are as much fox as chicken. Mark my words, the same thing will happen to Kyle Flanagan and soon after the chooks will play the fox again in the Sharks nursery and snatch young Bronson Xerri. It's in their nature to covet not create. Always has been, always will.
Farkurnell
Guest
Theoretically we can make it,but I won’t be queuing for finals tickets
Farkurnell
Guest
Keep dreaming Papi.just like I dream the Sharks won’t make any mistakes with the ball in hand
Albo
Roar Rookie
He was really only ever there as a last resort back stop, if Keary, Cronk, Mitchell & Hutchinson all went down at once. Should probably join his dad in England, but would likely struggle for a spot there as well.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yeah ! I have a few reservations about young Flanagan. Not sure he "plays that well with others" ? Has plenty to learn I think, and maybe Politis & Co might be best in educating him. Between both Flanagan & Johnson , young Nikora on the Sharks right edge, has been driven to distraction in recent times, running great lines but being cut out generally for some other pointless cut out option out the back.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"Crichton was told to pull his finger out" He's already down one finger any more and he won't be able to catch a ball! ;-)
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"As we’ve seen with Crighton , sometimes players just don’t live up to expectations" Sometimes players just don't live up to expectations? What rot! Crichton was doing just fine at the Rabbitohs making the NSW side in his final year at Souths and and just his second year in first grade. Crichton looked set to wear an Australian jersey as well before the change of clubs. Then the Roosters derailed his career with too much money, too much hype, too greater expectations and too little mins on field at the start of the season to favor Victor Radley and Boyd Cordner. There is no doubt about it, the Rabbitohs built Angus Crichton and the Roosters broke him and now blame the kid when he had already proven himself as a rep player. Crichton has lost his mojo and he won't find it in Bondi Junction. Send him back to Redfern and the Rabbitohs will "Make Crichton Great Again!"
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Hutchinson is a fill in player at best. He has Super League written all over him. The Roosters obviously have Cronk and Keary as their halves this year. The plan would be that next year it will be Flannagan (currently 20) and Keary (currently 27) And in about 3-4 years they will let go of Keary (about 30/31) and it will be Flannagan (by then 23/24) and Sam Walker (by then 19/20). And people still whinge about the Roosters and their salary cap but this is what they do. They (often) sign players before they are stars and let players go a year or two before they are done. They do it better than anyone.
Bonza
Roar Rookie
With Leilua back and if George Williams is the goods I like them for a title very soon.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Lam has not met expectations at this stage he is still in the training squad at this stage. His couple of games this season have not been anything special.
steveng
Roar Rookie
The Sharks are on 16 points, just 2 points off the 8, they have the Cows, Bunnies (certain loss there lol) Panthers, Dragons, Warriors, Raiders and Tigers in their draw this year. I don’t reckon Flanagan is as top notch as everyone makes him out to be, what’s he done at the Sharks? Ok, he’s kicked a few goals (which the Sharks are desperately needing a goal kicker) but, he really hasn’t done much, its much more of an insurance having and keeping known players like Shaun Johnson (I’ve still got faith in him as SJ will come good and show everyone up) and Matt Moylan they will be a sure thing for the Sharks of making the 8, than a kid that is a ? come the big games and/or critical games for the Sharks in weeks to come. Lets see how Kyle pans out (if he gets a game in the next 7 rounds) and if the Sharks will make the 8, as there are a few critical games coming up and winning a game will and could be on either Johnson, Moylan or Flanagan scoring, setting a try and/or kicking a goal to win a game?
Farkurnell
Guest
DP .. Mary should add that Jack Nicholson classic movie “Anger Management” to his video reviews.Come to think of it Mary does look a bit like Woody Harrelson.
Adam
Roar Guru
It's a salary sombrero people
Neel
Roar Guru
Signing an inconsistent player like SJ doesn’t help. Val or no Val. The Warriors made a good decision getting rid of him. The salary cap issue at the start of the year and losing a coach like Shane Flanagan doesn’t made things worse.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Someone needs to chat with Mary about these things; bars = standards, not a place to hang with the players and knock back a few. Expectations = anticipation of delivered results, not an easy paycheck after having signed long term. Reggies = a place to send under-performing players, not the gear you wear under your pants. Win = something a quality roster should do regularly, not your overly patient owner
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Have you not noticed a huge improvement in young Angus in the last few games. He was never intended as a bench warmer but that is where he finds himself at present. He was from memory in the run on squad at the Bunnies for most games . Have you forgotten that Robinson was quite prepared to drop Mitchell to make his point. The bar is set pretty high at the chooks, Lamb was supposed to be the replacement for Cronk but he has not met expectations and is now on the extended bench.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
have to agree .....I would be developing him for the future he has some talent
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Do you really think the Sharks bought him to play structures and not run the football whenever he can ? He would be under implicit instructions to take off..but he hasnt ..doesnt..wont..