Once predicted to be the "greatest halfback in South Sydney Rabbitohs history" by Jason Demetriou, Lachlan Ilias' fall from grace has landed him in the St George Illawarra Dragons' reserve grade squad this week.
The 24-year-old was the Dragons' starting halfback for the opening two months of the 2025 NRL season, but was axed this week by head coach Shane Flanagan.
Penrith Panthers legend Greg Alexander has shared his thoughts on the Ilias saga, highlighting a few concerning factors in the young halfback's game.
โWhat has let Lachlan Ilias down has been game management. Getting the Dragons the win when they've been in positions to win,โ Alexander said onย SEN 1170 Breakfast.
Ilias has struggled to set his teammates up for success in the opening eight rounds, ranking last amongst the Dragons' playmakers for try assists and line break assists, with just two and one, respectively.
"Brandy" went on to offer Ilias his two cents, advising the Greece international to focus on a specific area of his craft.
โHe's had some good games, but they have been few and far between. It's when he has run the ball.
โRunning solves a lot of problems for a half. I know people will say focus on the one-percenters, being the kicking game, organisation, your defence, and chat, which is all important too."
Alexander's advice is simple: "Just run the ball because it will solve a lot of problems.โ
Flanagan banished Ilias to the NSW Cup this week to work on his game away from the spotlight, handing his jersey over to Lykhan King-Togia.
Ilias will hope to regain his standing in the Dragons' starting 17 soon, otherwise, it may be a while before we see the once-highly touted junior in first grade again.
