 Flanagan built a reputation for signing key players to the club.Having signed Todd Carney the previous year, Flanagan secured the purchases of Beau Ryan and Chris Heighington from the West Tigers, Michael Gordon and Luke Lewis from the Panthers and Jonathon Wright from the Bulldogs.In 2013, following a year-long investigation into the Sharks' supplements program carried out during the 2011 NRL season, Flanagan was suspended from his role for a period of 12 months.