NRL 2025: Why Lachlan Ilias’ move to St George Illawarra Dragons was more than a decade in the making

Lachlan Ilias loved the Rabbitohs, but the Dragons offered him two things that Souths couldn’t: a chance to play halfback and a chance to fulfil a childhood dream. This is the story of how he signed with St George Illawarra.

Arthur Ilias remembers how his son was always decked out in Dragons gear. How when he wasn’t wearing a jersey with the famous Red V, he was sporting a cap with the club’s colours.

Lachlan Ilias grew up a rabid St George Illawarra fan – he was in the crowd at the club’s last premiership win in the 2010 grand final – and he harboured dreams of playing for the team.

Life, as it often does, threw Ilias a few curveballs.

But more than a decade after he blew out candles at his 10th birthday – once again wearing a Dragons jersey – Ilias is now a St George Illawarra player.

Lachlan Ilias wearing a Dragons jersey on his tenth birthday.

He loved South Sydney. He loves his Rabbitohs teammates. He wanted to be coached by Wayne Bennett. If things had gone to plan, he would probably still be there.

The Dragons, however, offered him two things the Rabbitohs and Bennett couldn’t – a chance to wear the No.7 jersey and the opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream.

“He was a big Dragons fan, massive,” Arthur Ilias told this masthead.

“He was either always wearing a jumper or a hat. He loved them.”

This is the story of how Ilias arrived at the Dragons, overcoming devastating injury and shattering disappointment to be given the opportunity to replace Ben Hunt and lead St George Illawarra back to the promised land.”

REPLACING A LEGEND

Wearing the No.7 jersey brings with it plenty of pressure.

It invites even more when you are replacing a legend. Ilias played his entire career at South Sydney with the shadow of Adam Reynolds hanging over him.

No matter what he did, it drew inevitable comparisons with the last No.7 to lead Souths to a premiership.

If that wasn’t enough, Ilias also played in a side that featured two of the most dominant players in the game – Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.

If they wanted the ball, they got it. With good reason, mind you.

Wearing the No.7 jersey comes with lots of pressure, and Ilias had to deal with plenty of it at the Rabbitohs. NRL Imagery

Mitchell and Walker have been two of the most influential footballers of their generation. Sure, Ilias has been bought by the Dragons to wear the No.7 jersey that was vacated by another superstar in Ben Hunt.

But Hunt wasn’t part of the fabric of the Dragons like Reynolds was at Souths. Nor will he have to deal with two dominant characters like Mitchell and Walker.

“He has had this expectation and pressure post-Reynolds and that is understandable,” Ilias’ agent Braith Anasta said.

“A lot of people said some big things that he didn’t say himself.

“He had instant pressure on him.

“He is also playing in a side with two of the most dominant players in the history of the club in Cody and Latrell, who are amazing players.

“But when Cody and Latrell want the ball, they get the ball. That is fair enough, he gets that. “But at the end of the day what I am looking forward to is you are going to get this kid who can actually be himself.”

The shadow of Adam Reynolds hung over Ilias at Souths. And now he faces the challenge of filling the hole left by Hunt at the Dragons. Picture: NRL photos

Ilias said on Friday: “Anyone can think what they want. I obviously got thrown in, but someone had to get thrown in.

“I just took it as a challenge. I think I’m more experienced and I am ready for that responsibility now. So I’m not saying I wasn’t then, but I’m more so now. I’m really looking forward to it and I think this is the right club to do it at.’’

BREAKING BACK

Ilias suffered a sickening broken leg on April 5, the pain of which was compounded by the fact that he had been demoted to NSW Cup at the time.

Loaded with determination and character, Lachlan recalls lying in hospital and making it his mission to work harder than ever before to return to the field.

He confirmed that he intends to break free from a load-managed return to training by Christmas.

Ilias is on the comeback from a broken leg suffered in April, which ultimately ended his season.

X-rays show the screws now in Ilias’ leg after breaking his tibia.

“It was tough to accept at first, when I first got told I broke my tibia. Once I accepted it and had a cry, it was all good,’’ Lachlan said.

“You have to think about what is important next and what direction you’re going in.

His proud father adds: “He just worked hard and had a belief that it’ll sort itself out.’’

One player with a front-row seat to Lachlan’s persistence was former Rabbitohs and new Dragons teammate Damien Cook.

In the wake of the Dragons’ decision to release Hunt, Cook spent every day hassling head coach Shane Flanagan to sign Lachlan.

“I think that’s just because I believe in him,’’ Cook said.

“I know how good of a quality player he really is. I know how much he wants to play half, he is a halfback and that’s what he wants to be.

“He is a great defender and works hard for your team, and will always be chasing back as well.

“Lachy is a completely different player to Adam (Reynolds). I felt like he was quite hard done by (the pressure), especially last year.

“I’m excited he’s got his fresh start and looking forward to him playing the best footy we know he can.’’

The moment Ilias broke his leg, after illegal contact from a Warriors defender as he attempted a kick in a NSW cup game for the Rabbitohs. Picture: NRL Images.

MAN IN CHARGE

Arthur Ilias has seen the look in his son’s eyes once before. Lachlan was in year 11 at the time and his frustrated father wanted his son to focus more on his studies.

He wanted to know what Lachlan was planning to do if he didn’t make it in the NRL.

“I went and gave him a serious serve,” Arthur said.

“Imagine your father yelling at you to try to fire you up to study. I said, ‘What are you going to do when you don’t make the NRL?’

“He was 17 years old. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Dad, I’m playing NRL’. He gave me that same response the other day when he said, ‘Dad, I can run a team’.

“He has a really strong belief. It’s a good opportunity. That’s what we wanted.

“I said to him, ‘At the end of the day if it doesn’t work out, well it’s on you because they’re gonna give you the keys to that Dragons team.

“It’s on you now.’”

Ilias will partner Kyle Flanagan in the halves, but it's the former Rabbitoh who will be calling the shots for his childhood team. Picture: Getty Images

Ilias will play in the halves alongside Kyle Flanagan, but he will steer the ship. It’s the opportunity he has craved since coming into first grade

“Shane gave me the opportunity to come play halfback here,’’ Lachlan said.

“Wayne (Bennett) was nice and honest and said I wasn’t getting first crack at Souths.

“I appreciated him being honest. I told Braith from the start I wanted to play halfback somewhere, and Shane was really good about it.’’

Anasta said Saints fans will see a playmaker not afraid to step-up, verbally and physically.

“He can be his own No.7,” Anasta said.

“He now can own that team. He doesn’t need to be anyone else bar Lachlan Ilias. That is what excites me the most.

“He loves Souths. He loved being there. That’s the reality. But also the reality is that they did drop him, they did go buy another halfback and they did tell him to look elsewhere.

“Still, he loves the place so much, he was willing to stay to prove himself there.

“You’ve got to look at the best path for you as an individual. And as hard as it was for him to understand and accept, he agreed that it was the move.

“Then it was like, ‘Yes, we need to do this’. He’ll get a shot to be the No.1 half.

“I look at all the other No.7s in the competition and I can’t believe for the life of me that he shouldn’t be somewhere in the competition as a starting half.

“He believes that too.”