NRL 2023: Anthony Griffin, St George Illawarra Dragons, ben Hunt, Jason Ryles, Ben Hornby, Shane Flanagan, Des Hasler

Phil Rothfield believes the Dragons’ loss to the undermanned Bulldogs was the final nail in Anthony Griffin’s coaching coffin as time has run out on his stint at St George Illawarra.

The Dragons are now at longer odds than the Tigers to win the premiership and Rothfield believes Griffin’s tenure is becoming untenable as the club is heading in the wrong direction on the ladder.

“I think his time is up and I’m not giving a scoop there am I?” Rothfield said on The Big Sports Breakfast.

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Bulldogs Press Conference | 07:27

“I have got a lot of time for Anthony Griffin, but I just had a look at the betting market to win the comp, not that they were ever going to win the comp.

“But they are now out to the longest price at $251 to win the competition. The Wests Tigers are even $151.

“Anthony Griffin has run out of time. It is now a matter of who comes in to replace him.

“It could be Ben Hornby, Dean Young, Shane Flanagan, Jason Ryles or Des Hasler.”

The Dragons have historically been reluctant to sack coaches mid-season, but Rothfield believes it might be in the club’s best interest to change coach immediately.

“The St George board have just got to do something about it now,” Rothfield said.

“I don’t particularly rate the administration of St George Illawarra all that highly.

“You can challenge a lot of the decisions they have made over the last five years.

“Even their gun playmaker their halfback Ben Hunt is now 34 years of age and he is struggling to get this football side going.

“On paper they should be going a little bit better than they are. They were never going to win the comp, but they are in big poop at the moment.

“I just can’t see a way out for them this year.”

Rothfield believes the Dragons are a solid and competitive team, but the fact they couldn’t beat a Bulldogs side missing a plethora of first graders on their home turf was damning.

“In fairness they haven’t been flogged by anyone and they are reasonably competitive,” Rothfield said.

“They were great against the Roosters on ANZAC Day. The previous week they played strong.

“But at home they had to beat the Bulldogs with the injury crisis that they have got yesterday and they just couldn’t come up with that.”

Rothfield believes former Dragons player Jason Ryles is the best candidate to replace Griffin, but he is more likely to take over from Craig Bellamy at the Storm.

“I originally thought Jason Ryles who is really highly regarded,” Rothfield said.

“He has worked in rugby union and for the Storm and he is doing a great job alongside Trent Robinson at the Roosters.

“But my mail is that he has been identified by the Melbourne Storm as the long-term replacement for Craig Bellamy, but the problem is he is still under contract to the Roosters.

“I don’t think the Roosters would stand in his way if an NRL job of that magnitude at the Storm came up.

“I think you could nearly take him out of the equation at St George.

“Do they go for someone young and boys who have played there in Ben Hornby and Dean Young?

“Or do they go for experience? Shane Flanagan has won a premiership. Des Hasler has won a premiership.

“One guy I get disappointed never gets a mention is John Morris. He is doing a great job at South Sydney supporting Jason Demetriou.

“They have got some options out there, but it has become pretty obvious they have got to move and they have got to move soon.

“Whether Hook stays for the rest of the season is the only question because these other guys I have just mentioned apart from Hasler have got commitments at other clubs and won’t be ready to step in until October.”