Hunt backs Flanagan for second coming as NRL half

A stand-out junior, Flanagan debuted under father Shane at the Sharks in 2018, playing nine games the following season before being lured to the Roosters where he was ordained as Cooper Cronk's successor.

He was ultimately moved on by the Roosters with a year to run on his deal, linking with the Bulldogs through the ultimately doomed tenure of Trent Barrett.

A shift to a bench utility role under Cameron Ciraldo last year looked a new direction for his career that was set to continue at the Dragons, only for a drain on the halves stocks to see him partnering Hunt at the scrumbase.

It's been a bumpy ride but Hunt's confident the 25-year-old is ready to re-establish himself as an NRL quality half.

"It's just a fresh start for him, there's no pressure on him to really be anything," Hunt said.

"He can just come in and do his job and enjoy his footy again. I think that's what he's been doing. He's playing to his strengths at training and there's just no pressure on him.

"To me he's a player that has a pretty good knowledge of the game. He can play halfback or five-eighth and he's just taken a bit of pressure off [me].

"He really knows how to get a team around the field a bit and he's got a good kicking game. We're just trying to find a good balance at the moment."

Balance is something Hunt's found hard to strike with a series of predominantly running halves in young pair Talatau Amone and Jayden Sullivan in recent years.

The equally instinctive Corey Norman preceded their time, with Hunt saying Flanagan is perhaps the first genuine game manager he's partnered with since Gareth Widdop.

"I don't know if you'd say Gaz was a controlling player, he just had a very good footy mind," Hunt said.

"You just left him alone and he'd do his thing, he'd get players in the right position, knew where he needed to be all the time. That's something I think we need, we need to play a controlled game, kick really well.

"I think that's what Kyle brings, that a bit of leadership on the field and a really good kicking game. He's obviously a lot different player to Junior (Amone) and the other guys that have been there.

"He's more of a control player, he knows how to get a forward pack around the field and play high percentages."

The opportunity for rebirth as a half comes for Flanagan despite being brought to club by father Shane as primarily a hooking utility option.

With Sullivan released, Amone deregistered after being found guilty of assault, and the well-publicised Ronald Volkman saga, Hunt admits depth could be tested in the play-making stakes.

"There is a little bit of a depth issue there," Hunt said.

"Last week we had Corey (Allan) go down, who can play fullback, centre, wing, then what happened with Volkman. Obviously Jesse (Marschke) has come in.

"If you have an injury or two it's going to get pretty thin, but that's up to our recruitment staff and Flanno out to sort those things out. At the moment we've just got to go with what we've got.

"The more you can keep a nine, seven, six and one together for long periods of time, the better they're going to go together.

"I think that's something in the next sort of month we've got to work out, what our best spine is, and find a way to make it work."

It's unlikely anyone has heard the last of the Volkman saga after RLPA chief executive Clint Newton blasted the process that saw the 21-year-old needing shoulder surgery without the protections of an NRL contract amid a blame-game between the Warriors and Dragons.

Hunt said she hoped no player suffers the same fate in future.

"I really feel for him coming over here trying to get a fresh start and play some footy," Hunt said.

"What happened, it's just really tough on him. I don't know who was meant to clear him or what was going on, so it's just a tough situation.

"It is strange that something like that can happen in this day and age with, all the medical staff and different things that are going on. Hopefully they can work it out and it doesn't happen to someone again."