Flanagan not part of Griffin's Red V revival as rivals chase Young

The Dragons overhaul under Anthony Griffin has begun with premiership-winner Shane Flanagan one of several coaching casualties as interim mentor Dean Young weighs up interest from at least two NRL rivals.

NRL.com understands Flanagan was told on Friday that the second-year option in his contract would not be taken up by the club, effectively putting the game's most over-qualified assistant back on the market for 2021.

Fellow assistant James Shepherd and St George Illawarra high-performance manager Nathan Pickworth will also depart at the end of this season.

Young meanwhile is contracted to the club for 2021 and has been offered a position on Griffin's staff by the incoming coach himself, but is also in demand across the game.

Two rival clubs have sounded out the Dragons caretaker coach about a change of scenery for next season, with Young yet to make a call on where his future lies.

Flanagan still has another season to serve on his NRL ban from head coaching for breaching the conditions of his 2014 suspension stemming from Cronulla's supplements scandal.

But given his 2016 Sharks title, the 54-year-old is expected to attract assistant offers from rival clubs for next season.

While "a little bit disappointed" to be passed over when the Dragons appointed Paul McGregor's successor earlier this week, Young said he understood the club's call in opting for Griffin's experience and backed him to turn the Red V around.

"I was a little bit disappointed I missed out because I thought I interviewed well and gave it my best shot," Young said leading into Saturday's clash with Canberra.

"But I can understand the club's decision in going with more experience.

"Anthony Griffin's been at two big clubs before and he's got a winning percentage of 55 per cent so I can fully understand the club's decision to go that way.

"I think he's gonna do a great job. He's a great person, Hook, he's got a lot of experience and I think his time out of the game will probably make him a better coach.

"He would've reviewed what he did at Penrith and what he did at the Broncos. As a coach, you learn every day and every year.

"I'm sure he's ready for the opportunity to turn this club around and turn it into a force again and I hope he does."

Young reiterated his hope of being a full-time head coach in the future but is aware that at age 36 he still has time on his side.

He and Griffin struck up a firm friendship during their time as Kristian Woolf's assistants in Tongan national camp, with Griffin offering him a role for next season at the Dragons.

Young declined to comment on rival interest in his services on Friday.

"I spoke to Hook straight after the decision was made," Young said.

"He rang me up and I said 'what, did you ring me up to gloat?' We had a conversation.

"We worked together as assistants in the Tongan side at the end of the year and we've got on great ever since that and kept in contact.

"He indicated to me that he'd like for me to stay around so we'll see where it goes."