AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
Dragons appoint Michael Ennis as Assistant Coach
The Dragons are pleased to announce that Michael Ennis will join the club as an Assistant Coach for 2026.
www.dragons.com.au
Michael Ennis new Assistant Coach
- Thread starter AyiosYiorgos
- Start date
www.dragons.com.au
jodragon40
Staff
So we have snagged Michael Ennis as our new assistant coach. When he speaks on fox he comes across as fairly knowledgeable. Thoughts?Dragons appoint Michael Ennis as Assistant Coach
The Dragons are pleased to announce that Michael Ennis will join the club as an Assistant Coach for 2026.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Ennis has a lot of footy knowledge and has spent plenty of time being an assistant of sorts at several other clubs after finishing his playing career which of course includes a premiership win in 2016 under Shane. Shane and Michael should work quite well with each other and as you say Jo he does speak with a lot of knowledge and with sensible comments and is respected on the Fox Sports league panel.
I think he will help the players a lot. I am assuming that he will take over from Ryan Carr who did quite good for us, not brilliant, and I wish him well overseas in the Super League, Castleford Tigers.
All the best to Ennis. I just wonder why it is only for 2026 at this stage?
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Heard from my brother that Ian Millward has gone and will be the Head of Pathways at the new Perth Bears.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Not sure what role Ennis will take on at the Dragons - maybe doing as he had done at other clubs being the voice and adding some structures in attack and defence but not fully a coach as such. I am thinking that it would not do the Club any harm if they go for Steve Price as the attacking coach and join up again with Flanno.
He was not a good Head Coach with us we know that, but as an assistant he is very knowledgeable, has had plenty of experience overseas, won premierships under Bennett and Flanno and is a local.
He was not a good Head Coach with us we know that, but as an assistant he is very knowledgeable, has had plenty of experience overseas, won premierships under Bennett and Flanno and is a local.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Just want to add that this could be bad news in that he might entice several of our "good" juniors to go to Perth.
But good news in a way because he has been part of our recruitment and "brains" for too long at the club and a lot of us fans have wanted change and this is being realised now.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
One more thing I want to say is that we really and truly need to get rid of Dean Young as our defensive coach - how many games have we lost by squiliions? Great defence wins games especially if you have great attack as well.
I like this addition. Has history with Flanno and also played a season for the red v. I enjoy his commentary and knowledge of the current game. Could even attract some players across. Positive signing in my eyes. Well done, great pick up
Eric
Staff
Hated him as a player and hate him as a commentator so I guess that means he'll be a really good assistant.Dragons appoint Michael Ennis as Assistant Coach
The Dragons are pleased to announce that Michael Ennis will join the club as an Assistant Coach for 2026.
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Happy with this one, we need new blood/voices, and this is good publicity also.. Won't hinder recruitment... It's also flannos first assistant he actually got to choose...
Flanno and Ennis go way back, Ennis might me spreading his roots around for a few years to ready himself for head coaching down the track... But not sure he can do fox H this, so assume he's leaving fox atleast very limited role.
Flanno and Ennis go way back, Ennis might me spreading his roots around for a few years to ready himself for head coaching down the track... But not sure he can do fox H this, so assume he's leaving fox atleast very limited role.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Yeah he’s given up fox gig, he’s very highly rated so I’m happy with this
Should have markedly improved dummy half play at a minimum
Good for the young hookers in the dragons academy to have someone like Ennis in the building as well
Should have markedly improved dummy half play at a minimum
Good for the young hookers in the dragons academy to have someone like Ennis in the building as well
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Shame we dont have any young hookers coming through.. bit of a gap between Liddle and is it Champan perhaps.. guess there is Hjalatason and Fagalilo maybe. We probably need to work out what we are doing with those 2, i.e. do we need to get a body in that 19-22yr old range... and then also Muhleisen, tbh hes been rly important to that cup side.. hes very solid.. but also unlikely to ever play 1st grade... decisions to be made there..
If Cook retires end of 2026 which most assume he is, we definitly should be looking at a young gun (if not hjalatason/fagalilo) to be potentially the first grade #14 in 2027. I always forget Kyle in this equation also.. hopefully by then we will have seen how he goes @9.
Yeah I reckon this one could have been years in the making even.. or atleast months.. I reckon it might be something they have spoken about many times before.
Im not sure how long Ennis will stay with us, I reckon maybe 2-3yrs and he might spread him self around a bit, do that apprentiship thing that all the young coaches do thesesdays.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Keep an eye on Mason Phillips next season in SG ball, he’s talented and put on some much needed weight.
As for Ennis, 1 year is quite short. I’ve heard that manly promised him the head coach gig after seibold but Penn and co. Don’t want to pay him out
So Ennis as Manly Coach 2027 is a real possibility
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Does Mason have a 2nd year of Ball? If thats the case thats a rly good thing.. just assumed he had been disregarded as I hadnt seen him play Flegg all year.
And yeah Ennis could just be floating through.. might depend how it goes I guess.. good on his resume either way.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
Is Ennis in line for a head coach gig? I know he has been 'working with' various clubs but as far as I knew, he had never even risen to the ranks of assistant. In first grade that is.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
He hasn’t been touted as a head coach for other clubs, just manly. The players love him and there’s been a push for him to get the gig but also Matt Ballin internally
*Re. Ballin- Sounds familiar with board members pushing to give the job to an old boy who hasn’t earnt their stripes over giving it to a deserving candidate
*Re. Ballin- Sounds familiar with board members pushing to give the job to an old boy who hasn’t earnt their stripes over giving it to a deserving candidate
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
tbf giving Ennis the reigns is even crazier than Ballin.. has Ennis had any head or assistant experience at all? Bar I know he helps a few clubs with skills and what not.
Should be zero rush for any of these guys to be looking for Head Coaching gigs imo.. assistant roles are easy to get (especially while you are still sought after), you could spend your life as an assistant if you liked.. but why not at least do 10 years under 3+ coaches? That Head Coaching gig generally only comes around once... it must be the money.. but its a short-term decision.
Should be zero rush for any of these guys to be looking for Head Coaching gigs imo.. assistant roles are easy to get (especially while you are still sought after), you could spend your life as an assistant if you liked.. but why not at least do 10 years under 3+ coaches? That Head Coaching gig generally only comes around once... it must be the money.. but its a short-term decision.
jodragon40
Staff
Well in my day you had to do your coaching apprenticeship akin to the player's. Started U16, then U18, then Ressies. So 2 yrs , 2 yrs then 2 yrs. It would be madness to give a head coach 1sts gig to anyone no matter how good he is without a decent apprenticeship under a good coach.
Is Flanno safe next year ? If he keeps selecting Kyle as 6 or 7, then surely he is a dead man walkin, unless results are good, as in making the eight.
No signings yet but let’s wait and see.
Not making the eight will not be an option.
Ennis might get a head coaching gig at Saints as early as next year.
The other player we might get as a head coach is Mark Gasnier, currently at Parramatta.
No signings yet but let’s wait and see.
Not making the eight will not be an option.
Ennis might get a head coaching gig at Saints as early as next year.
The other player we might get as a head coach is Mark Gasnier, currently at Parramatta.