Flanagan opens up on Lomax drama ahead of Dragons NRL opener

The Dragons' new head coach also touched on how happy he was to return to a head coaching role after five years and how he was looking forward to locking horns with Des Hasler, who like himself would be coaching the Titans for the first time in the NRL, when they took on the Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday night.

But Flanagan spent the majority of his time explaining why Lomax was starting on the wing against the Titans, instead of his preferred position of centre.

Flanagan also made his feelings clear of what he thought of media reports the disgruntled star wanted out, with suggestions Parramatta were the latest club ready to give Lomax a new home.

"He is in our best 17. He is on the wing. Does that stay like that, I'm not quite sure, that will depend," he said.

"At the moment I'm doing my job to pick the best 17 week in, week out and at the moment my best 17 is Zac on the wing.

"He has come out and said that he wants to play centre, that's fine.

"He is contracted here for another few years so it's really interesting to read your story about other clubs........Parramatta is so interested in him..........he is under contract, so you might get a phone call from the NRL today to find out what's going on there."

Flanagan conceded Lomax was probably disappointed to be playing on the wing but that did not concern him.

"My job here is to pick the best 17 and I will be doing that and Dragons fans, whether they're Zac Lomax fans or whatever, they just want two competition points, so my job is to pick the best 17 and this week it's Zac Lomax on the wing," he said.

"It's my job to get the best out of him and I will I think.

"He is a super athlete. Is wing his best position? probably not, time will tell."

Flanagan was more forthcoming on his beliefs the Dragons were better placed to achieve something this year compared to what was in store for him in his first year in charge of former club Cronulla Sharks.

"It's not much difference in relation to when I started at the Sharks, they were at the bottom of the table and they had to rebuild," he said.

"The Dragons are in a similar position but I don't think we need to rebuild. I think we have a good roster here that can do something this year.

"Where we start from competition table is very very similar but I think we are in a lot better position here at the Dragons, definitely from a club's perspective, the league's club, WIN TV, our owners, a new high performance facility being built , it's a completely different off-field situation.

"On field we start in the same sort of position but I really do think that I've got a better squad here that can make some impact straight away."

The Dragons get an early test of their credentials when they tackle a Titans-side to be coached by Des Hasler for the first time.

It's a clash Flanagan is relishing.

"It's interesting we both come up against each other in round one. Des has had a journey and so have I. Des has been around a little bit longer than I have but he is a competitor, his sides will be really well prepared so it's a real challenge," he said.

"It's two different personalities I'd like to think but looking forward to it because I know Des Hasler sides will definitely be well prepared.

"I'm excited for [the game]. It doesn't seem like five years.

"I'm looking forward to it, we've had a really good off-season, the players really put in.

"I know that they're glad that the off-season is over and they can start to play.

"All the talk and all the hard work is behind us, we got to win football games. I'm looking forward to what we produce tomorrow.

"We expect a really good year, we've done the work.

"I think we've got a really good squad here. We've added some players the last month or so and are looking forward to a really good year.

"We haven't set any targets, we just want to win week in, week out. That's how we will be going into every game. If we do that we can play in some big games at the end of the year."