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You’d struggle to find a player that went through a tougher 2024 season than Lachlan Ilias.
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He was dropped, suffered a season-ending leg injury, then was told by the Rabbitohs his services were longer required and he was free to look elsewhere.
Still, after all that, the happy-go-lucky Ilias said to foxsports.com.au earlier this month: “Even though it was a tough year, I had a pretty good year as well.”
Incredible.
Ilias’ attitude makes his return to the field in the Dragons’ trial match on Sunday even more heartwarming. It’s also probably what helped him get through a horror recovery from surgery that made him question everything.
The 24-year-old kicked off last season in style, playing for the Rabbitohs in Las Vegas. But in Round 3 he was dropped to New South Wales Cup and two weeks later he fractured his tibia when a charge-down attempt by a Warriors player went awry.
Ilias underwent surgery and was ruled out for the season.
Now, as he prepares to officially begin his new chapter with the Dragons, the halfback has opened up on his confronting recovery, declaring it was “100 times worse” than actually breaking his leg.
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“I woke up from surgery real sore. My leg was pink and ballooned, I was in hospital for five extra days because of how swollen my leg was,” Ilias said.
“I was bed ridden for two-to-three weeks. I just couldn’t move because my leg was so swollen. Every time I got up, the blood rushed down my leg.
“It was 100 times worse than actually breaking it. It got to a point where it was like ‘I don’t know if I can do this… I can’t see myself getting better’.
“It was tough. It was just the simple things (that were a struggle), like getting up to go the toilet, or getting up to go eat dinner.
“Because I was elevated and bed ridden, all the blood was going down my leg, it was just throbbing. I hope no one goes through that pain.
“One time, I did say to my parents that it’ll be better off if I just chop my leg off, because then I just wouldn’t go through that pain.”
Lachlan Ilias’ X-ray shows the screws that were put into his shin.Source: News Corp AustraliaIlias endured that torture for two weeks until the blood rushes eventually subsided around the four-week mark.
But that was only just the beginning of his recovery.
He was on two crutches for nine weeks before advancing to one crutch for another four weeks. Then it came time to begin walking again.
“The physio at Souths told me to take my first steps and I was s***ing myself. She was like, ‘you can do it’ to push me a little bit,” Ilias recalled.
“I took two steps and I was like ‘that’s enough I’m too scared right now’.”
That took a toll on Ilias’ confidence with the new Dragons’ No.7 admitting “you sort of go through (a phase where you) can’t see yourself getting back to the way you used to be.”
Lachlan Ilias recovering from a fractured tibia.Source: News Corp AustraliaBut thanks to the staff at both the Rabbitohs and Dragons, Ilias is “feeling great” now.
“I almost feel better than what I was before… So it’s it was all worth it.”
Naturally, Ilias is “full of excitement” to get onto the field for what will be his first game in just over 10 months.
And he’ll do it in new colours too after signing a two-year deal in late November.
The Dragons first showed interest in Ilias back in April when he was told by the Rabbitohs that he was free to negotiate with rivals. He met with coach Shane Flanagan but talks soon fizzled out.
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Lachlan Ilias will play his first game in 10 months on Sunday. Picture: Dragons Instagram.Source: InstagramHowever, after Ben Hunt’s Dragons exit was rubber-stamped, Flanagan swooped on Ilias and the deal was done “within three or four days.”
Ilias could be forgiven for harbouring resentment over what happened to him at South Sydney.
Former coach Jason Demetriou declared the Leichhardt Wanderers junior was “going to be the best halfback the club has had in a long time” in August, 2023. Seven months later Demetriou dropped him.
But that’s not the case. Ilias is “very grateful” for the honesty from the Rabbitohs — even if it did come “out of the blue.”
He’s also appreciative of the guidance he got from Wayne Bennett after the veteran coach inked a deal in May to return to the club following Demetriou’s axing.
Comeback trail: Dragons half Lachlan Ilias. Picture: Dragons InstagramSource: Supplied“Wayne was really honest with me,” Ilias said.
“Before this pre-season, I had some phone calls with him asking where I stood and he was really honest… I appreciated that.
“I kept him updated throughout the process of coming to the Dragons as well. He was really supportive and he said I deserve to play first grade.”
Thankfully the chaos of 2024 seems to have finally settled for Ilias and he’s confident that he’s emerged from it all as a wiser player.
“I sort of take it as a learning year,” he said.
“A lot happened. I played in Vegas, I got dropped, then got injured, now I’m back and at the Dragons as the starting seven.
“Even though I didn’t play any footy last year, I feel like I’m a better player just by watching games and analysing them.
“I feel like I’ve taken steps in the right direction without even playing footy. So I’m excited to play again, and especially in these colours.”
Ilias has settled in to life as a Dragon quickly with the help of four of his former Rabbitohs teammates in Damien Cook, Hame Sele, Jaydn Su’A and Corey Allan.
He’s now thriving in an environment where he knows his place and has the full support of the coach.
“I think that’s what every sort of spine member wants, wherever they play, they want the trust of their coach and their teammates. I feel I’ve got that at the Dragons,” Ilias said.
“I told the boys that trust is obviously earned. So it was sort of hard for me to do it when I was just watching from the sideline.
“But I think I’ve really taken a step forward the last couple of weeks in sort of taking control of the team with Kyle (Flanagan). I know this team can do a lot this year and you I’m excited to be part of it.”
He’s also loving being coached by Flanagan.
“I already had a lot of people telling me how good of a coach he was and he’s a really good person as well,” he said,
“I’ve sort of reflected and he’s exceeded (my) expectations. He’s got a really good relationship with all the boys and I think he’s a great coach as well.
“I really like how he carries himself and all the boys really respect him. He knows how to have fun, but when he’s serious everyone’s locked in to what he has to say.”
Ilias admitted that being told he wasn’t wanted at the Rabbitohs was a bitter pill to swallow at first. But in hindsight, he says this new chapter is “probably what I needed.”
