LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Gold Coast Titans recruit Lachlan Ilias has expressed his feelings about his departure from the St George Illawarra Dragons, claiming he wasn't given a fair chance during his time there.
After securing a release from the Red V, Ilias shared his thoughts on Josh Mansour's Unscripted podcast, stating that he felt unfairly treated following his drop from the lineup, which he attributed to defensive concerns early in the season.
"the first win was against Melbourne in Kogarah in the wet - we were building nicely, but then shit happens," Ilias recalled.
He continued, "I don't think I was given a fair opportunity to get back into the team after I was dropped." Ilias mentioned being informed that his defence was the reason for his removal from the team, and he expressed uncertainty about the media speculation regarding his drop. He noted that the adjustments involved a new defensive system, which made his acclimation challenging. "They said there were a few tries between me and Jaydn Su'A," he added.
Ilias communicated his commitment to improvement after being dropped, saying, "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." He mentioned that while the NSW Cup team performed excellently during his time with them, culminating in a grand final appearance, he still did not receive another chance in the top tier despite having worked on his defensive skills.