Kyle Flanagan is set to play his first NRL game in seven weeks after Canterbury captain Reed Mahoney suffered a concussion in the Bulldogs’ loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Mahoney left the field for a head injury assessment after he collided with Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii while attempting to make a tackle just before halftime at Central Coast Stadium on Sunday.
The hooker did not return to the field and will miss the round 15 clash against traditional rivals Parramatta in accordance with the NRL’s 11-day concussion stand-down policy.
Mahoney’s absence opens the door for Flanagan to play his first game since round eight.
The rise of teenage sensation Karl Oloapu and veteran Josh Reynolds’ return to the Bulldogs have pushed Flanagan down the play-making pecking order.
Rumours that Flanagan could switch to Manly mid-season came to nothing, the off-contract 24-year-old instead toiling away as a hooker in NSW Cup.
Flanagan’s preferred position is at halfback but given Mahoney is the only out-and-out hooker on the club’s top-30 roster, the Bulldogs will move him to dummy-half to provide injury cover.
Flanagan is poised to start at hooker for the first time in his NRL career next weekend after impressing coach Cameron Ciraldo since switching from the halves.
“Kyle’s playing 80 minutes regularly, week to week, in NSW Cup,” Ciraldo said.
“He’s been working hard on playing hooker and he’s really bought into transforming into that position.
“We spoke to him last week and told him what our thoughts were for the next few weeks about trying to give him an opportunity there.
“It’s more than likely he’ll get an opportunity there (next week).”
Mahoney has been one of the best buys of the season and a consistent performer for the Bulldogs.
And Ciraldo praised his side for staying in the game after Mahoney left the field.
The scores were level when Mahoney went off and the Bulldogs remained in the fight, weathering the advances of powerful Roosters middle forwards Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Lindsay Collins and Matt Lodge.
“Losing Reed today, I thought a lot of our young middles did a really good job,” Ciraldo said.
In a reshuffle, 18-year-old five-eighth Oloapu filled in at lock and hooker while inexperienced forwards Harry Edwards and Kurt Morrin left Ciraldo excited about their future.
“I thought they ripped in, some of our best defence was when some of those guys were in the middle. It’s good signs,” Ciraldo said.
Australian Associated Press