Flanagan ruled out for season

St Helens back-rower Mark Flanagan has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.

Flanagan, 25, requires a knee reconstruction operation after suffering a serious ACL injury in the second minute of the Super League game at Hull KR earlier this month.

Coach Nathan Brown said: “It’s a devastating personal blow for the player and adds further strain to our already seriously depleted squad. 

“We were more than surprised that the offending “tackle” was not the subject of serious disciplinary review. It appeared to be caused by the third player in the tackle in a classic ‘cannonball tackle’.

“Anthony Laffranchi also received one shortly after in the same game and again no disciplinary action was taken.

“Mark missed the subsequent Challenge Cup Game against Hull KR. He is a great young player whose season is over and yet no action was or has been taken.

“It just adds to the growing frustration as to the lack of consistency so often experienced with disciplinary proceedings and which has major consequential effects on players’ careers and club’s seasons.

“As a club we will, of course, always accept any punishment our players are given; and all we ask is for the same clarity and consistency for all players and all clubs.”

Flanagan, now in his second season at Saints, joins an ever increasing list of players on the sidelines at the club.

Brown’s woes have also been compounded this week by the news that three of his players will be suspended following Saturday’s Challenge Cup defeat at Hull KR.