While it’s unknown what role they will play in the club’s coaching setup next year, halfback Kyle Flanagan believes the Bulldogs’ interim coaching group can take a large portion of the credit for the side turning their season around over the past two months.
Since taking over from Trent Barrett in the middle of May, stand-in coach Mick Potter has helped the Bulldogs to win four of nine games and climb from the bottom of the NRL ladder to their current position of 12th.
That has included the club winning back-to-back games for the first time since 2019 over the past fortnight.
Ahead of Sunday's trip to play the Cowboys in Bundaberg, Flanagan said Potter and assistant coaches David Furner and Craig Sandercock, have given the side newfound belief and allowed them to play their natural game.
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“The shackles are off now and we are just playing what we see, and it is really exciting to be playing in this footy team,” Flanagan said.
“I think at times last year people thought we were quite a structured team, but it wasn’t [the case], that’s just the way we were being coached at the time.
“Now we are just out there being footy players and everyone is doing their job.
I can’t give any more credit to what Pottsy has done for me individually and this footy team.
Kyle Flanagan
“He is such a calm head and simplifies things so much for us and just backs us and gives us confidence to go out there and play footy.
“We are repaying the faith he puts in us.”
Potter wants to stay on
After averaging 9.6 points scored per game through the first 10 rounds of this season, the Dogs’ attack has come to life in the nine games Potter has been in control of since, averaging 25.3 points per match and scoring under 18 points on just one occasion.
Improved performances from Flanagan and halves partner Matt Burton have been at the heart of that shift, with Flanagan now keen to ensure their form means there is no reason to break the partnership up.
“It [confidence] grows each week I am just really liking my combination with Burto and Jake Averillo and [Jeremy] Marshall-King and it’s exciting going forward,” Flanagan said.
“Probably Burto as well has given me a lot of confidence. We didn’t get to train much together in the pre-season, which has been well documented, but I am just loving playing with Burto.
“We have only played 15 or so games together, so the more footy we get to play together we get to work each other out.
Burton continues to cause pain for opposition wingers and fullbacks
“I love the Bulldogs, they gave me an opportunity and I like to think I have turned things around and things are going forward now for the club.
“If we keep winning and combinations keep building then this footy team is only going to get better."