โWeโve got a good football team,โ Flanagan said. โOur club is on the way up, weโre ready go, and weโre going to compete this year.
โWeโre going to be better next year and better the year after. Weโre a big club and weโre on the improve, so look out. Jump on board, or get off.โ
Canterbury celebrate the winning field goal by Stephen Crichton (centre).Credit: AP
New Dragons halfback Daniel Atkinson was solid rather than spectacular in his first appearance for the club since his move from Cronulla.
It was also a night to remember for mature-age debutant Setu Tu, with the 27-year-old winger crossing for a late four-pointer that set up a compelling climax.
โI didnโt want to put too much pressure on him,โ Flanagan said of Atkinson. โHe hasnโt played a lot of games at halfback in the NRL and for 80 minutes, thatโs for sure.
โI thought he did a good job. His kicking was great, he competed really hard and heโll get better week in and week out.โ
Setu Tuโs try set up a grandstand finish.Credit: Getty Images
Flanagan had his contract extended in August, securing his position at the Dragons until at least the end of 2028.
If that was a vote of confidence in the 60-year-oldโs long-term vision for the joint-venture club, the forecast has been for choppy waters in the immediate future.
A depleted St George Illawarra won only one of their final five games last year following the coachโs re-signing and conceded 40 points in each of the last three.
Forgettable pre-season trial form reduced expectations further and even Flanagan himself was careful not to set the bar too high, at least publicly, with an attention-grabbing prediction in the days before the first-round blockbuster.
Acknowledging his team wouldnโt be premiership contenders this year was honest but unorthodox and risked blowing up in his face if the Dragons were thrashed in their first outing of the season.
โIn hindsight I probably shouldnโt have said it,โ Flanagan said. โBut if I say weโre going to win the comp, there is going to be as much criticism, probably more.โ
It didnโt matter in the end, with the Dragons playing like anything but no hopers.
With stubbornness on their goal line, they crowded the Lachie Galvin-led Bulldogs for much of the first half, trailing by only two points at the break.
Aside from a new trick from old dog Damien Cook, rolling a kick into the in-goal for front-rower Emre Guler to score, it wasnโt pretty, but Flanagan wonโt have cared.
What wouldnโt have pleased him were a series of mistakes and penalties that loosened the Dragonsโ early grip on proceedings.
St George Illawarraโs spirit was personified by Toby and Ryan Couchmanโs wild celebration after thumping Sitili Tupouniua close to his line and busting the ball free. The only problem was that Toby had struck the former Roosters forward high.
Loading
The Dragons shot themselves in the foot after half-time, with Bulldogs talisman Stephen Crichton seizing on another error to extend Canterburyโs lead to six with a delicious flick to winger Jacob Kiraz to cross in the corner.
Barely sighted near the Bulldogs try line for the first hour, the Dragons seemed destined to tire, but refused to fold.
Tu closed the gap with 22 minutes remaining, capitalising on a fine offload from Jaydn SuโA and an even better tap-on from Clint Gutherson.
A Kyle Flanagan penalty goal with six minutes left brought the Dragons level, and their fans began to believe.
Unfortunately, for them, it wasnโt to be.
