Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is facing calls to allow Valentine Holmes and Luciano Leilua to play hybrid roles in the upcoming season. Clint Gutherson and Queensland centre Holmes joined the Dragons for the 2025 season after Zac Lomax and Ben Hunt departed.
Gutherson’s inclusion has given Flanagan plenty to think about with the former Eels captain moving straight into the fullback role. Flanagan also handed Gutherson and Damien Cook captaincy, despite having just joined the side.
Young star Tyrell Sloan will now fight for his place in the team with many suggesting he could move to the wing in place of Lomax. Sloan played wing at times last year having been dropped from fullback after a number of poor performances. But SEN Radio’s Joel Caine has suggested the talented star should feature on the wing in a hybrid role.
Sloan struggled with kick-returned last year having averaged around 30 metres per game. Caine has suggested Holmes should drop back for the first three tackles to do the hard work. Then Sloan is free to attack in broken play, or on the line having not taken the brutal hit-ups. This would not be new to Holmes who has played both fullback and wing at times throughout his career.
“I would seriously think about using Valentine on the wing, until we get up there. We don’t need Ferrari’s driving through the paddock,” Caine said, referring to Sloan. “My proposal is, Valentine is playing centre and you are playing with Sloan. But at the back of the field we need your carries out. How easy is it for Sloan and Holmes to switch…we know Sloan can play. We don’t need the likes of Sloan carrying the ball at the backend, getting rag-dolled. It slows you down.”
While Caine’s hybrid role might be one Flanagan entertains, Fletcher has called for Leilua to move from the second-row into the front row. The 114kg backrower was in solid form for the Dragons last year having scored three tries.
And Fletcher wants Leilua to make the move to the front row suggesting the Dragons would benefit from his offloads in 2025. “I think it is time now Luciano plays through the middle. Because he has good footwork, he is big enough, and he has an offload,” Fletcher said.
Leilua playing up front would mean less minutes, but the ability to be more explosive in short stints. Flanagan will be juggling a number of new ideas with Cook and Lachlan Illias both joining from the Rabbitohs. Kyle Flanagan and Illias will be a new halves pairing for the Dragons.
