George Flanagan Jr made a try-scoring debut for Bradford with his dad on the same pitch, but now he’s flown the nest to fulfil his Super League ambitions with Huddersfield.
IT WAS a picture and a moment to make even a stone-cold heart melt.
At the age of just 17, George Flanagan Jr was making his debut for Bradford, the club he’d grown up supporting, on a rare day of sunshine at Odsal in July 2022.
Shortly after half-time, with the Bulls trailing London in the Championship, fullback Flanagan – sporting a bright, club-coloured scrum cap – joined an attack down the left, passing to Kieran Gill. After exchanging with Elliot Kear, Gill threw a hopeful offload back inside which hit the ground.
But the bounce was right, the ball was back in the hands of the teenage talent, and two seconds later he was touching the ball down under the posts for his first professional try.
Flanagan leapt into the air in celebration, spun around, and the first team-mate to reach him was none other than his old man.
Flanagan Sr has enjoyed a career of more than 15 years, playing for Batley, Dewsbury, Featherstone and Bradford, but he’s probably never run as quickly as he did to congratulate his boy that day.
“He’s been chomping at the bit to get going and he got the chance to,” said father of son afterwards. “I’m immensely proud. The whole family were there and they all are as well.”
Since then, Flanagan Jr has played only twice more for the Bulls first team – the following week at Barrow, and then in the Challenge Cup against York Acorn last March (scoring another try).
But he has moved on up, signing a four-year contract with Huddersfield, in December 2022, to start in 2024 – the club’s press release called him ‘the hottest young talent in rugby league’, so no pressure there – and then, after a season playing for Bradford’s reserves and academy sides, finally enjoying a first Super League pre-season.
He’s now 19 and a professional player but still the memory of his debut lingers – not least because his dad has got the picture framed in the kitchen at home!
“It was unbelievable, especially when I scored under the posts,” says Flanagan. “My dad had just come on as a substitute and as soon as he came on I scored. It was the best feeling.
“I’ve always been a Bradford boy, I supported Bradford when I was younger, so to play for them was a massive deal for me.”
His journey began at Bradford Dudley Hill at the age of six, and he also played for a while at Birkenshaw Blue Dogs before the Bulls came calling with a scholarship.
Flanagan reckons he would probably have got into rugby league regardless – “I was that type of person, I love any sport so I wanted to get into any sport,” he says, joking that while he boxed as a kid he “probably wasn’t very good at it” – but the influence of his father is unavoidable.
“I was always down watching my dad play for Batley, Dewsbury and whoever else. I just wanted to follow in his footsteps really,” he says.
“I always wanted to go. I went to training on a Friday with my dad when he was at Batley. I was helping (their coach) John Kear with water. Anything I could have done, I just wanted to be there.
“Even when he was at Hunslet, I went to all the training sessions. I just love rugby league.”
And his dad returned the favour: “Every single game (of mine), he never missed a game unless he had one as well. He’s been my number-one supporter.”
The influence didn’t translate into playing style, mind. While the elder Flanagan established a reputation as a tenacious, hard-as-nails hooker, his son has always been keen to do the more exciting work.
He says: “I’ve always been an outside back, a fullback or a halfback. I love getting my hands on the ball and attacking. That’s my thing, and hopefully I get to showcase what I’ve got.”
Flanagan’s move to Huddersfield being secured a full year before he actually began with the club helped him get a feel for his new environment and the coach, Ian Watson, before starting out.
“Last season I was always in touch with Watto – he was asking me how it’s going and stuff like that – and I came to a few training sessions,” he says.
Flanagan’s task now is to find a way into a talented Huddersfield team which has Jake Connor and Tui Lolohea as established, highly experienced players in his positions.
At his tender age, there is no expectation on him to be a first-team star just yet, and after featuring in all their pre-season games against Dewsbury, London and Castleford he will likely start the season in their reserves side.
But the target is Super League and Flanagan is desperate to learn from the best, be it at training or – as a self-confessed rugby league nut – the world’s finest fullbacks.
He says: “I watch every single Super League game, every NRL game. I’m always trying to improve myself. Playing with people like Cluney (Adam Clune), Tui and Jake, learning from them every day, I’m only going to get better.
“Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga (Brisbane and Newcastle fullbacks respectively) are the type of people I try and base my game around. They’re unbelievable. If I can take a little bit of their game I’ll be alright.”
A first pre-season as a full-time player has been a huge step, allowing him to take his skills – which include a sharp boot as well as hands – to the next level while building on his slight frame.
“It is a big difference,” he adds. “You’ve got to adapt your body. It’s been good so far.
“I’ve enjoyed getting up and going to training. It’s something I look forward to every day.”
That’s all you want for any youngster, and long may it continue. If that debut was anything to go by, it should be a long and prosperous career ahead.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 494 (March 2024)
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