St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has revealed he believes his team will improve in 2025 despite some key departures.
The Dragons have lost New South Wales State of Origin outside back Zac Lomax, as well as club captain and Queensland Maroons representative Ben Hunt for 2025.
Both players were released from the final stages of their respective contracts, with Lomax' confirmed departure coming in the middle of the year after he was shuffled to the wing by coach Flanagan, while Hunt's came after two years of on again, off again release requests.
Flanagan has made it a key priority throughout this transfer period to bring experience to the club though, and has done so by signing three players released from their rivals, with former South Sydney Rabbitohs dummy half Damien Cook, North Queensland Cowboys centre Valentine Holmes, and Parramatta Eels fullback Clint Gutherson all joining the club.
Out of favour Rabbitohs' half Lachlan Ilias has also joined in the last week following Hunt's departure and will likely wear the number seven jumper when the Dragons open their season in Round 1 at Kogarah against the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Despite the potential lack of depth in the halves, and playing without key attacking weapon Lomax, Flanagan, speaking on SEN Radio, said he believes the Dragons have 'better players' heading into 2025, and will have a better result at the end of the campaign as a result.
โWe will be better again,โ Flanagan told SEN 1170.
โThis past year was certainly a learning curve. Players needed to be fitter and stronger and everyone improved in that area and it helped performance.
โWe have got better players this year. People laugh and say we are going to have more losses but we are going to be a way better football team next year than we were last year.
โI couldn't wait to get (Gutherson) and now that we've got him, we've seen what an (incredible) athlete he is and his endurance.
โHis experience will be invaluable for us.
โValentine Holmes will be really valuable for us at left centre.
โWe are a year older as a group. I'm excited about it.โ
Flanagan's side impressed during 2024, with only a late fadeout preventing a finals appearance after they were widely tipped by pundits to take out the wooden spoon.
The Red V were built with plenty of young talent in 2024, led by fullback Tyrell Sloan (who will shuffle to the wing to accomodate Gutherson's arrival in 2025).
The club will be hoping for the continued emergence of both Ryan and Toby Couchman, as well as five-eighth Lykhan King-Togia this year, as well as the potential debuts of the likes of Loko Pasfiki Tonga and Jason Halangahu among others.
