Bold Gamble could make it harder for Flanagan to bounce back at Bulldogs

“There’s a lot of things that go into it – obviously injuries and you’ve got to name a 21. Kyle was told mid-afternoon. It was an all-in group [media] session and that was the situation.

“We certainly didn’t expect Kyle to get as emotional as he did. I thought he handled that interview really, really well up until he got probed about the family situation and a lot of people would get emotional about that. Prior to that I thought he did a terrific job.

“In hindsight, if we had have known that was to happen you don’t put him up, but there was no signs leading up to that interview.”

Trent Barrett

“In hindsight, if we had have known that was to happen you don’t put him up, but there was no signs leading up to that interview. We’ve just got to get around him and support him, like we do all our players, and give him all the tools to get back into first grade.”

Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton said the club was committed to Flanagan’s welfare after one of the game’s brightest playmakers hit the biggest hurdle of his young career.

Brandon Wakeham has been parachuted into the halves alongside Jake Averillo as Canterbury chase just their second win of the season, but Barrett doesn’t expect Flanagan to be in NRL exile for long.

“This is certainly not the end for Kyle,” Barrett said. “He’s a good little player and he’s doing some good things, but he’s got some things to work on and that’s our job to help him with them. It was a tough couple of days.”

Lachlan Lewis, who replaced Flanagan at half-time of the Bulldogs’ loss last Sunday, has joined captain Josh Jackson, Corey Allan, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Jayden Okunbor, Christian Crichton and Marshall-King in Canterbury’s casualty ward. Prop Jack Hetherington is also suspended.

But despite the club readying for the arrival of Josh Addo-Carr and Penrith pair Burton and Brent Naden in 2022, Barrett refused to write off this season despite the Bulldogs being firm wooden spoon favourites.

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“We’re still aiming to win every week,” he said. “Whilst the first nine weeks hasn’t been kind to us and we’d like to be playing a hell of a lot better, we’re certainly not putting the cue in the rack.

“We’re going to Brisbane to win and we’ll start getting some players back, too, which will make it easier. We’re certainly not throwing the season away. I’m here to win now and I’m not happy with where we are now and I’ll do everything in my power to improve it.”