EXCLUSIVE: Lachlan Ilias Claims He’s a Better Player Post-Injury, Credits Penrith’s Grand Final Try as a Key Factor

When Lachlan Ilias was released by South Sydney at the start of last season, the situation went from bad to worse as he sustained a serious leg injury while playing in the NSW Cup.

This injury sidelined him for the entire season, and he never got to wear the Rabbitohs jersey again.

Now, as the halfback for the Dragons, he has emerged as a creative playmaker, having maximised his time on the sidelines.

With his newly acquired skills, he harbours ambitious aspirations for the club.

“Without looking too far ahead as a team, our immediate target is to secure a spot in the top four,” he shared with Wide World of Sports.

“The boys were only one win away from making the finals last year.”

“They were quite disappointed not to make the finals, but now the focus is on taking that next step and aiming for the top four.”

“We want to compete with the best and are genuinely excited about the challenge.”

Ilias had a challenging recovery from his leg injury, only returning to full training around Christmas time after undergoing what his surgeon deemed “one of the most challenging surgeries a player can endure.”

“The pain after the surgery was intense… I was confined to bed for two to three weeks, which was pretty tough,” he recounted.

“Every time I stood up, I experienced severe blood rushes through my leg, which was already quite swollen and bruised. The rush was more painful than when I originally broke it.”

“That was a tough phase, but once I got through it, I could see gradual progress, which made it all worthwhile.”

As a result of this experience, Ilias believes he has emerged as “a better player”.

“I couldn’t explain how, but I watched the game from a different angle without the stress of being on the field,” he explained.

“I took a step back and analysed the game in a new light. Even though I haven’t had a game since April, I feel like I’ve developed as a player just by observing and understanding how the game unfolds. I couldn’t have asked for a better club to do this with than the Dragons right now.”

When asked about his analysis and improvements, Ilias mentioned Nathan Cleary.

The Panthers star found his rhythm during the finals, leading his team to a remarkable four-peat.

There was a specific play from Penrith’s finals campaign that particularly caught Ilias’s attention. This play came up during the grand final preview and evolved throughout the finals series.

Brad Fittler labelled it a “BK” play on Freddy & The Eighth.

In the opening week of the finals, it was highlighted when Shaun Johnson discussed it on the Play On Sport Show.

The Panthers drew in James Tedesco at the play-the-ball on the line, with Cleary coordinating Paul Alamoti and Luke Garner to position flat alongside Jarome Luai at the back. Cleary executed a grubber, resulting in a try for Garner.

In the preliminary final against the Sharks, this setup was revisited with Cleary delivering a cut-out pass to Alamoti, who also scored.

Then came the grand final. One would think a well-prepared Storm side would anticipate this play.

However, as always, the Panthers remained a step ahead.

The setup was consistent, this time with Scott Sorensen holding back just slightly.

Cleary passed to Alamoti, who turned his back to the defence, setting up Luai for a quick pass to Turuva, who scored in the corner.

Ilias certainly took note of this play.

“I observed that moment when Turuva scored; it was clever,” he remarked.

“That’s clearly something they had developed over preceding weeks.

“It all comes down to defensive tactics, but I was thoroughly impressed and have adopted a similar approach in evaluating defences and their strategies.”