The St George Illawarra Dragons have signed young Parramatta Eels hooker Lachlan Coinakis.
Coinakis was signed with the Eels until the end of 2027.
He has been released from his contract and will head to the Red V, per Fox Sports.
Despite never playing in the NSW Cup or making his NRL debut, he has shown potential.
In 2023, he won the 2023 ASSRL Under 18s National Championships for ACCC, which also featured Jett Cleary, Jaxen Edgar and Heath Mason.
In 2024, Lachlan won the 2024 Peter Mulholland Cup with Patrician Brothers Blacktown and was the 2024 Australian Schoolboys hooker.
Coinakis progressed to the Eels SG Ball Cup side for 2024 and 2025, where he played in the grand final against the Sydney Roosters, ultimately losing 33-26 despite having an eight-point lead in the final minutes of the match.
The Patrician Brothers standout hooker played in the Eels Jersey Flegg Cup side, where they finished 7th this season.
Coinakis has likely signed a train-and-trial deal with the Dragons, as he could potentially get a look-in at Young's side in the future.
At the Eels, he was stuck behind Tallyn Da Silva, Ryley Smith and Harrison Edwards in the NRL side.
In the pathways, Jireh Trey Stewart and Hayden Bell have impressed the club at the dummy-half position and may not have been viewed on the same level as Lincoln Fletcher and Ryda Talagi, who signed three-year deals at the same time.
The Dragons are looking for a long-term hooker, as Jacob Liddle is only contracted until the end of the 2028 season.
Next year, Liddle will be 31 years old and has suffered several injuries during his career.
Connor Watson joined from the Sydney Roosters and has only signed for 2027.
The Dragons have also been linked to targeting New Zealand Warriors hooker Samuel Healey.
