The manager of Dragons halfback Lachlan Ilias has added more pressure to the playmaker’s career by telling a television program his client has “two or three” games to save his position in the team.
Former Bulldogs premiership player Braith Anasta, who doubles as a TV host on Fox Sports and manages a handful of NRL players, went public in condemning his own player with a stern warning.
Ilias joined the Red V from South Sydney in the off-season and was viewed as a potential long-term answer at halfback.
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Yet in just a matter of weeks the No.7 has had his coach and agent out him in the media.
Against the Eels on Saturday, Ilias’ attempt at a 40/20 late in the game went out on the full and allowed Parramatta to win in golden point.
Lachlan Ilias of the Dragons. Getty
That came just two weeks after St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan questioned Ilias’ performance in the loss to the Rabbitohs in round two.
Illias is coming off a broken leg last season and seems to be lacking rhythm with his play at the moment, yet his agent made his life more difficult by suggesting his days in the top grade could be numbered.
“He’s got to be better, the weekend was a big miss from him,” Anasta told Fox Sports on Tuesday night.
“He had the opportunity there to ice it and he went for the 40/20 and he got it wrong. You just can’t do that.
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“And the Rabbitohs game, we saw the backlash and it knocked him around a little bit.
“I felt sick for him (on the weekend), I really did because it was like living a nightmare.
“Obviously I’m passionate about him and look after him but he has got to be better. I don’t think he’ll have 10 rounds, I think it’s the next two or three weeks really.”
While the Dragons are 1-3 to begin the season, the club’s win-loss record could easily be reversed.
The one-point loss to Parramatta was the second field goal defeat the club has tasted this season.
Flanagan’s men held a 12-point lead entering the closing stages of the match against the Eels, and they were in the same position against Souths in round two before they went down 25-24.
Despite the lack of polish and execution at the end of games, the Dragons have been competitive this year, and have scored 20 points or more in every game so far.
The only time they didn’t was when they had to roll their sleeves up in the wet in the morale-boosting win over the Storm.
Responding to the claim that llias has become a “punching bag” in the NRL and copped an unfair level of criticism, Anasta said: “There’s an element of truth to that but that comes with territory and you need to handle that.
“That’s not an excuse though.
“It’s not even him having to win the game, you just can’t come up with an error like that. All he had to do was kick it long into the corner, try and win the field position and possession and get yourself into position to win.
“He eliminated all that with poor execution and as the No.7 you can’t do that.”
Funnily enough Anasta came to the defence of his client just weeks ago when Flanagan openly questioned Ilias’ play, telling the same program the coach shouldn’t have aired his views in public.
“You do it behind closed doors,” Anasta said at the time.
“He put a bullseye on a young half who is struggling with confidence and belief. They lost the game by one point and he didn’t do his job, but a lot of them didn’t.
“He’s singled him out as a young half – it’s not gonna help him.”
If only Anasta had heeded his own advice on Tuesday night.
In his defence, Anasta is telling the truth in his assessment and nobody can deny that, yet his dual role in the media and as a player manager raises a conflict of interest that future clients will be more wary of now.
Players hire agents to do their bidding behind closed doors not to have their performance dissected on live television.
Ilias has been named at No.7 for the home clash against the Titans on Friday night, and if he performs under expectation, then all eyes will be on his agent for reaction in the aftermath.
No doubt that will be a boon for TV ratings and Anasta’s media career – but where that leaves Ilias and the other players Anasta handles, is anyone’s guess.
