St George Illawarra five-eighth Kyle Flanagan has been transported to hospital via ambulance following a distressing head collision during the Dragons' 22-14 defeat to the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday. The incident occurred in the 61st minute at CBUS Super Stadium in Robina, casting a shadow over the NRL fixture.
Father and Coach Shane Flanagan's Emotional Response
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, who is also Kyle's father, was seen conversing with his son underneath the stadium immediately after the match. Kyle was lying flat on a stretcher, secured in a neck brace, and about to be placed into a waiting ambulance as Shane spoke to him.
'He's not good. He was taken to hospital. He was unconscious for what someone said was five minutes, so that is a big concern,' Shane Flanagan stated in a shaken post-match press conference. 'He rang his mum and rang his wife and they are taking precautionary X-rays. He has got feeling in his legs and movement, so let's hope he is OK.'
Details of the On-Field Incident
The alarming head knock happened when Flanagan collided with teammate Hayden Buchanan as both players attempted to tackle Titans debutant hooker Oliver Pascoe. The Red V playmaker remained motionless on the ground for several minutes, prompting immediate medical attention. Thankfully, he was observed moving his arms as he was carefully placed onto a medicab and removed from the field.
Shane Flanagan described the personal challenge of witnessing his son's injury while simultaneously trying to rally his winless team during the final twenty minutes of the game. 'It was definitely a challenge. I had to get myself together and regroup and know we have got good medical staff and he'd be OK,' he explained.
Flanagan's Resilience and Team Reaction
The coach praised his son's toughness, noting that Kyle was conscious and communicating after the incident. 'He is talking. He was a bit agitated. He is one of the toughest kids you are ever going to see, so he didn't want to go in the ambulance. He'd prefer to sit in the car, but that is just the way he is. It wasn't nice to see,' Shane remarked.
Despite the distressing event, both Shane Flanagan and team captain Damien Cook emphasised that the injury could not serve as an excuse for the Dragons' performance. The team remains without a victory after four rounds of the NRL season.
'They are NRL players. They need to get on with it. We can't use that as an excuse,' Shane asserted. Cook echoed this sentiment, stating, 'You never like seeing your teammates like that, so I hope he is OK. We had a job to do and we have to do that for him too. He puts his body on the line every week. That wasn't the reason we lost tonight.'
Dragons' Ongoing Struggles
Cook identified specific areas for improvement, pointing out that 'We let some silly tries in and as a playing group we need to come together and trust what we are doing and stick to what we are doing.' Shane Flanagan expressed frustration with the team's inability to close out games, despite showing promise at times.
'It is really frustrating. I know I have a group of players that can get it done, but we are not getting it done for 80 minutes,' the coach lamented. 'We had a really good off-season. They are fit enough and strong enough and are getting the information. I have to look long and hard and deep.'
The Dragons' medical staff and club officials are closely monitoring Kyle Flanagan's condition as he undergoes further assessment in hospital. The entire rugby league community awaits positive updates on his recovery following this serious head injury.
