St George Illawarra have confirmed assistant coach Ryan Carr will leave the club at season’s end, taking up a top role in the Super League.
Less than an hour after the Dragons were thrashed 40-0 by the Rabbitohs on Thursday night, the club released a statement confirming Carr’s looming exit.
The timing was purely coincidental though and was designed to align with the Castleford Tigers announcing the 37-year-old’s appointment as head coach.
Shane Flanagan wished his understudy the best on his next coaching chapter.
“I have very much enjoyed working with Ryan over the past two seasons,” he said.
“He’s a smart coach and a good person and he has been an asset for our club. I want to wish him all the best as he continues on his coaching journey.”
Carr said he was looking forward to joining the Tigers and wants to take them to new heights over the course of his three-year deal, which begins in 2026.
“It’s an exciting opportunity, it’s a proud historic club is Cas and I’m aware of where the clubs been, where it came from and where its going,” he said in a club statement.
“I feel a lot of excitement on the direction that the club is heading in the near future. It deserves to be better than where it is, and that’s where we need to take it. I feel the opportunity, and the room for growth is really fast at the club – excited to get started”
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Carr retired at a young age without ever tasting first grade and immediately moved into coaching, spending time with South Sydney and Cronulla.
He then moved to England and acted as head coach for second-tier club Featherstone Rovers, guiding them into the finals of the Championship, before coming back to Australia and landing roles with the Eels and Dragons.
Carr acted as interim coach for the Red V in the wake of Anthony Griffin’s 2023 sacking.
His looming exit continues as a busy few months for the Dragons, who have extended Flanagan for a further two seasons as head coach, while also adding Tim Watsford as the new chief executive and Daniel Anderson as head of recruitment.
Club chairman Andrew Lancaster has also extended his tenure for three more years.
