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NRL hypocrisy exposed in not fining Flanagan
Charles Goodsir • July 22nd, 2025 2:14 pm
SEN’s Greg Alexander believes the NRL have created a rod for their own back following their decision to not sanction St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.
Flanagan was animated in his post-match press conference following his side’s two-point loss to the Bulldogs in which he described two contentious calls as “outrageous” and suggested the decisions would cost his team a finals berth.
At the start of the year, the NRL issued a blanket ban for the criticism of referees but because of the 50/50 nature of the calls, Alexander believes Flanagan has escaped a fine.
“The precedent had been set and there was a directive from the NRL that you can’t question decisions,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I thought Flanagan was in control of what he was saying. He didn’t lose it but there’s no doubt he was questioning the decision.
“He even said the decisions were outrageous.
“The NRL are hedging their bets. Normally, they would’ve fined a coach and they have fined coaches this year for questioning referee decisions.
“(The NRL made the decision) not to fine him because it was a 50/50 call and it could’ve easily gone the way of the Dragons.
“Is that off-putting to some? Why can’t a coach say that?
“As long as a coach handles themselves in the way that Shane Flanagan did.
“He wasn’t saying that they’d been robbed. He said it in a matter which I believe coaches should be allowed to do.”
On Monday, the NRL ticked off both the contentious decisions in the match between the Dragons and Bulldogs and confirmed the on-field official and the bunker made the correct calls.
The Dragons travel to Townsville on Friday night to take on the North Queensland Cowboys.
