During an exclusive fan forum on Tuesday night, Dean Young, the interim coach of St George Illawarra Dragons, confronted the question of whether he is capable of leading the club's revival.
Following the dismissal of Shane Flanagan due to a challenging losing streak, discussions at the forum turned to critical themes such as accountability, team selection, and the looming threat of returning to a cycle of underachievement.
One question posed by a fan became pivotal, challenging Young to explain why he should succeed where previous coaches had struggled.
Before any senior executives could intervene, Young took the initiative to respond to the inquiry.
"I'll answer this," Young stated decisively.
He emphasized that he does not view his role as merely a developmental project, despite ongoing public speculation that the Dragons might be prioritizing youth as part of a rebuilding phase.
"There's been some media around saying that we're looking to the future, and we're blooding young guys. I'm not looking towards the future, and I'm not interested in blooding young guys," he elaborated.
"I'm picking the team that I think can win each week, and the young forward pack that's playing at the moment are the players that deserve to be there.
"I've given players opportunities to play, and they either take it or they don't."