‘Not an excuse’: Dragons halfback given just ‘two or three’ games to save jersey by his agent

The player agent of under-fire Dragons halfback Lachlan Ilias believes his client has just “two or three” games to save his spot in the side.

The player agent of under-fire Dragons halfback Lachlan Ilias believes his client has just “two or three” games to save his spot in the side.

Ilias joined the Red V from South Sydney in the off-season and won the club’s essentially uncontested battle to wear the No. 7.

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NRL premiership player Braith Anasta manages the 24-year-old who has endured a brutal start to the season at his new club.

Against Parramatta last weekend, Ilias put the ball out on the full trying to kick a 40-20 late in the game and it ultimately allowed the Eels to draw level in the 75th minute before winning in golden point.

That came just two weeks after St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan publicly shamed Ilias for his performance against the Rabbitohs in Round 2.

Dragons development player Jonah Glover is the club’s NSW Cup halfback and he’ll likely be given a crack if the losses keep coming.

Another option is for Flanagan to shift his son Kyle to halfback and play another young gun in Lyhkan King-Togia at No. 6.

NRL 360 host Anasta asked his panel on Tuesday night if they believe Flanagan will stay patient with Illias.

“I think it’s their best option but jeez I felt for him on the weekend,” Paul Crawley said.

Lachlan Ilias is struggling to steer the Dragons around the park. Pic: NRL

“He must have been heartbroken but he’s coming back from a broken leg, the club bought him because they obviously believe he’s the best they’ve got.

“Now they’ve got two promising young guys in NSW Cup but they obviously don’t think they’re ready… I’d give him at least 10 rounds to settle in.”

But Anasta doesn’t believe his client will be given that long and was stinging in his criticism.

“He’s got to be better, the weekend was a big miss from him. He had the opportunity there to ice it and he went for the 40/20 and he got it wrong. You just can’t do that,” he said.

Braith Anasta reckons Ilias may not have long to save his spot in the side.

“And the Rabbitohs game, we saw the backlash and it knocked him around a little bit.

“I felt sick for him (on the weekend), I really did because it was like living a nightmare.

“Obviously I’m passionate about him and look after him but he has got to be better. I don’t think he’ll have 10 rounds, I think it’s the next two or three weeks really.”

Journalist Dean Ritchie believes Ilias is becoming a “punching bag” in the NRL and copping an unfair level of criticism.

“Yes he’s got some flaws in his game but he just seems to be a bloke who is targeted with each loss,” Ritchie said.

“It’s a bit like Mitchell Pearce at the Roosters. I’m not comparing them as players but is Ilias being targeted week in, week out?”

“There’s an element of truth to that but that comes with territory and you need to handle that,” Anasta responded.

“There are other young No. 7s who don’t cop it,” Ritchie said.

“That’s not an excuse though,” Anasta said.

“It’s not even him having to win the game, you just can’t come up with an error like that. All he had to do was kick it long into the corner, try and win the field position and possession and get yourself into position to win. He eliminated all that with poor execution and as the No. 7 you can’t do that.”

Originally published as ‘Not an excuse’: Dragons halfback given just ‘two or three’ games to save jersey by his agent