Lachlan Ilias has lifted the lid on his brief tenure at the Dragons, claiming that he didn't get a "fair crack" at playing first grade under coach Shane Flanagan.
The halfback arrived at the joint venture just 12 months ago on a multi-year deal, but was dropped to reserve grade after just seven matches and never returned.
At the time, St George Illawarra had won three of their six matches and two of their defeats had come by only a field goal against the Rabbitohs and Eels.
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After being axed, Ilias would help lead a remarkable winning streak for the club's NSW Cup outfit and was part of the team that made the grand final in the competition.
The first grade side during his absence won just five of their next 17 games with the coach's son Kyle Flanagan at halfback and youngster Lhykan King-Togia at five-eighth.
In a sit-down interview on the Unscripted podcast, hosted by Josh Mansour, the 25-year-old was asked where he felt things went wrong at the Dragons.
"Our first win was against Melbourne in Kogarah in the wet – we were building nicely, but then shit happens," Ilias said.
"I don't think I was given a fair opportunity to get back into the team after I was dropped.
"I got told I was dropped for my defence, I don't know what was said in the media or why I was dropped. [It was about] reads and it was a new defensive system as well, so I was getting used to it and they said there were a few tries between me and Jaydn Su'A.
"I told the defensive coach and the wrestling guy after I got dropped that I would do more extras and put my best foot forward to try and get picked back into the team. I was doing all that, I went back to Cup and I barely missed a tackle for five or six weeks.
"I just don't think I got a fair crack."
Ilias was then asked by Mansour if he received any feedback from Flanagan or other members of the NRL coaching staff during his successful stint in reserve grade.
His answer told a rather grim story of what happened inside the four walls.
"Not really," Ilias responded.
"The only dialogue that I got after I got dropped was after we won 10 or 11 games in a row for Cup and then we played terrible against Newtown … it just wasn't our day and that was the only time I got feedback about my game, saying that I played poorly.
"I was doing everything I could, I don't know if I could have done any more to get back into the team. It was a different time, because the boys in NRL weren't playing great but we were playing well, so the vibe was high in the Cup team.
"We were building these connections in Cup, putting our best foot forward … I don't think myself or other boys in the Cup team were given a fair opportunity to get back into NRL.
"I've got to shout out Jonah Glover as well, I think he deserved a spot and definitely deserved at least a debut. He's just signed to Souths, he got five-eighth of the year for Cup – not just our player of the year, but the competition.
"Sloany [Tyrell Sloan] was dropping in and out of the team, he's an unreal winger.
"I'm not trying to talk shit about anything else, but I just think there were a few things that went wrong and I feel like the best team wasn't picked week-in and week-out.
"[I am] a little bit bitter that I didn't get a fair crack. I don't think I had a fair opportunity to get back into the side. I did everything to put myself back into the team."
But perhaps the most telling moment in the 75-minute interview came from what Ilias opted not to say to Mansour about his time in the Red V.
In a segment where the guest gets the option to answer a tough question or eat some hot sauce, Ilias was asked whether he ever had a rift with Shane or Kyle Flanagan.
He almost immediately reached out, grabbed the hot sauce and laughed.
While things didn't pan out for him at the Dragons in 2025, the playmaker has found a new home at the Gold Coast Titans on a two-year contract.
However, there was one other club interested in acquiring Ilias.
"I think Braith [Anasta] reached out to Melbourne and they were keen as well," he said.
"There were pros and cons to that at Melbourne, obviously they've got two of the best halves in the game [Cameron] Munster and [Jahrome] Hughes.
"I was probably fighting for that No.14 spot or waiting for the Origin period or injuries, which you don't want to happen.
"Obviously the Titans were more keen and I'm really excited for that move. I've been up there and seen the facilities, it seems like a great environment.
"They are trying to make some changes to the club, so I'm really excited."
Apart from his disastrous tenure in Wollongong and the constant speculation around the halves at the Dragons, the other way Ilias found his way into the headlines came about due to some of his social media conduct.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRYNlA8kjXG/?utm_source=ig_embed&
While he was away from the NRL, the halfback posted a couple of videos on TikTok of him dancing at home, amassing more than two million views combined.
The last post on his account came in August and when asked whether his manager and league great Anasta told him to ease off, Ilias couldn't hide his laughter.
"He didn't actually tell me to stop," the Titans recruit said.
"He didn't say it to my face, but I heard the podcast. We were talking with a few teams then and I think he didn't want to have a bad look."
Ilias is expected to compete for a spot in the halves under coach Josh Hannay in 2026, with the likes of Jayden Campbell and AJ Brimson also in the mix.
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