Ennis drops bombshell, exits Dragons after Flanagan departure

St George Illawarra Dragons assistant coach Michael Ennis has sensationally quit the club after being overlooked for the interim head coaching role at the embattled Red V according to repports from the Daily Telegraph today.

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The Dragons confirmed on Monday that Dean Young will take charge for the remainder of the 2026 season following the departures of Shane Flanagan and head of football Ben Haran, with the club sitting winless after a horror start to the year.

However, the coaching reshuffle has already delivered another twist, with Ennis now deciding to walk away from the organisation altogether — effective immediately.

Ennis had been considered a contender for the interim role and was also viewed by some as a long-term coaching candidate at the club, but the job ultimately went to Young despite some reported internal reservations.

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The former NSW State of Origin hooker, who had been working as an assistant at the Dragons, is understood to have been keen on progressing into an NRL head coaching role and is now expected to explore other opportunities.

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His departure also ends a close professional link with Flanagan, with Ennis having strong ties to the outgoing coach, which is understood to have influenced his decision to exit the club.

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With his Dragons tenure over, Ennis remains a name to watch in the coaching market and could emerge as a candidate elsewhere, particularly following the recent vacancy at Manly after their coaching shake-up earlier this season.

In the meantime, he will continue his media commitments with Fox Sports as he weighs up his next move.

The Dragons are now left to rebuild their coaching structure under Young with immediate uncertainty surrounding roles ahead of their huge Anzac Day clash with the Sydney Roosters on Saturday.

It seems that the changes for the Red V are not over, and we are likely to have plenty more ahead.

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