Wollongong's salt air reflects hope and skepticism after a disappointing 2025 NRL season. Flanagan aims for a stronger 2026, needing consistency and clutch plays to succeed.
The salt air in Wollongong and the humidity of Kogarah carry a familiar scent: desperate hope mixed with a healthy dose of scepticism.
After a 2025 season that showed flashes of optimism but ultimately lacked the fire to compete with the heavyweights, Shane Flanagan seems halfway through his renovation, but the faithful are sick of the messy building sight. He has promised an 'expansive' brand of footy for 2026, but in the NRL, promises are cheap - it's the execution of those promises that costs people their jobs.
Note: Mick Crawley is a former attack coach for the Canberra Raiders.