Blake Lawrie excited for Shane Flanagan return but wants to end 2023 on a high

The 26-year-old was part of the St George Illawarra team when Flanagan was assistant under Paul McGregor.

As a result, the forward is excited to see Flanagan return - this time to the top job - in 2024.

Read more: De Belin was always optimistic on his way to 200 NRL games

Heading into the Dragons' clash with the Warriors in Wollongong on Friday, Lawrie said the appointment of Flanagan for next year as head coach was the right call.

"It's a great appointment for the club going forward," he said.

"I'm really excited to buy into whatever direction he wants to bring in, but that's next year. We want to win on Friday night in front of a home crowd and we want to finish the year off really strong with the good boys that we've got now.

"Once the off-season comes around we'll all know what direction [he] wants to bring in. But obviously yeah, it does excite me going forward. But my full focus is here right now. I can't look too far ahead."

Lawrie said that he had been in contact with Flanagan since his appointment but had not talked to the future leader about 2024 as yet.

"I've have a couple of texts I sent him once he got the job. But I haven't tried to catch up with him too much yet because I'm just focused on this week. We'll look forward to next year when that time comes.

"Like I said, the full focus is Friday night against the Warriors. They're a top eight team and we're third last. So we've got it up against us and no one gives us a chance.

"That excites us and we're prepared to go out there and put on a show for our home fans and that will hopefully get the job done."

Lawrie added that he was taken by surprise by Ben Hunt's wish to leave the club two years early from his contract.

"Yeah it did [shock me]," he said.

"Obviously he's our skipper and he's our leader and it's a bit shocking. But it is what is is. We can't really buy too much into that.

Read more: Hunt saga a reminder of what sport actually entails in 2023

"[The message in the playing group has been] just do your job. Don't buy too much into that. We can't control what we can't control going forward and that's turning up to training every day where you can rip in and not let each other down on Friday night and just take it one week at a time or one session at a time going forward."

The Dragons go into the match against the Warriors following their 36-30 win against South Sydney in Kogarah.

A lot has happened in the two weeks succeeding that match. Hunt was in talks with Flanagan before the former assistant got the job following the Rabbitohs win. But Lawrie wanted his side to just get the basics right against an in-form Warriors outfit.

"They're a quality side," he added.

"They've probably upset a lot of teams this year that have taken then lightly and we're not taking them lightly at all.

"They're really well drilled. We're expecting a really tough performance for 80 minutes," Lawrie added.

Kickoff is 8pm.

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