Lachlan Ilias
{{Cleanup|reason=grammar|date=January 2025}}
{{short description|Greece international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Lachlan Ilias
| fullname = Lachlan Ilias
| image =
| image_size =
| position = {{rlp|HB|FE}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2000|05|09}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| height = {{convert|184|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|91|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| club1 = South Sydney
| year1start = 2021
| year1end = 24
| appearances1 = 53
| tries1 = 10
| goals1 = 2
| fieldgoals1 = 1
| points1 = 45
| club2 = {{nowrap|St George Illawarra}}
| year2start = 2025
| year2end = present
| appearances2 = 7
| tries2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| fieldgoals2 = 0
| points2 = 0
| teamA = {{rlnt|Greece}}
| yearAstart = 2022
| yearAend =
| appearancesA = 3
| triesA = 1
| goalsA = 2
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 8
| new = yes
| source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/lachlan-ilias/summary.html Rugby League Project]
| updated = 25 April 2025
}}
Lachlan Ilias (born 9 May 2000) is a {{rlnt|Greece}} international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|hb}} for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Background
Ilias was born in Australia, but is of Greek, Italian, and German heritage.{{cite web|url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/137766/the-greek-australians-aiming-to-qualify-greece-to-their-first-ever-rugby-league-world-cup/ |title=The Greek Australians aiming to qualify Greece to their first ever Rugby League World Cup |publisher=Neos Kosmos |first=Con |last=Stamocostas |date=27 May 2019}} He grew up in the Sydney suburb of Five Dock. He played schoolboy rugby union for Trinity Grammar and was in the 2018 Australian Schoolboys Rugby team.{{Cite web|url=https://sportingnews.com/au/featured-content-sport/news/nrl-south-sydney-rabbitohs-rugby-union-joseph-suaalii-lachlan-ilias-league/oymz09cucwm41vwmmh8j117vs|title=Rabbitohs sign freakish teen rugby union talents Joseph Suaalii and Lachlan Ilias|date=12 February 2019 }} He also played junior rugby league with Leichhardt Wanderers in the Balmain junior district.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
Career
=Early career=
Ilias signed a development contract with Wests Tigers in 2017.{{cite web| url = https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl-2021-lachlan-ilias-will-make-his-debut-for-souths-after-being-snatched-from-the-tigers/news-story/b26974792f135b6e01250c6e5d5a8f6a| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211021130813/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl-2021-lachlan-ilias-will-make-his-debut-for-souths-after-being-snatched-from-the-tigers/news-story/b26974792f135b6e01250c6e5d5a8f6a| archive-date = 2021-10-21| title = NRL 2021: Lachlan Ilias will make his debut for Souths after being snatched from the Tigers}} In 2018, after a meeting with Anthony Seibold, Ilias transferred to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-transfer-centre-rabbitohs-sign-six-young-stars-lachlan-ilias-blake-taaffe-peter-mamouzelos-davvy-moale/news-story/f9a49f47941109d355777ad383b3f24e |title=Reynolds' heir apparent one of six Rabbitohs re-signings: Transfer Centre |work=Fox Sports |first=Mark |last=St John |date=3 June 2021}}
=2021=
Ilias made his debut for South Sydney at {{rlp|hb}} in his side's 20−16 victory over the St. George Illawarra Dragons at Sunshine Coast Stadium in round 25 of the 2021 NRL season, Ilias also scored a try on debut.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/08/31/nrl-round-25-squad-announcements/ |title=NRL Round 25 team lists |publisher=NRL.com |date=31 August 2021}}
=2022=
In round 15 of the 2022 NRL season, Ilias was substituted shortly after half-time during South Sydney's 32-12 loss against St. George Illawarra. South Sydney were down 32-0 at half-time, and Ilias had knocked the ball on from the opening kick off.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-lachlan-ilias-substitution-south-sydney-rabbitohs-hammered-dragons-win-jason-demetriou-anthony-griffin-ben-hunt-live-scores-news/news-story/0ae97511003c7f217381e275828ab6cd/|title='Saw the confidence drop away': Matty Johns labels Ilias' hooking 'unfair' after Dragons flogging|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=16 June 2022 }}
Ilias played 26 games for South Sydney in the 2022 NRL season including all three of the clubs finals matches as they reached the preliminary final for a fifth straight season. Souths lost in the preliminary final to eventual premiers Penrith 32-12.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-24/nrl-penrith-panthers-defeats-south-sydney-rabbitohs/101470088/|title=Penrith Panthers defeat South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-12 to qualify for third straight NRL grand final|website=www.abc.net.au|date=24 September 2022 }}
Ilias made his international debut for {{rlnt|Greece}} against {{rlnt|France}} on 17 October 2022 at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63293849/|title=Rugby League World Cup: France 34-12 Greece - Les Bleus beat debutants|website=www.bbc.co.uk|date=17 October 2022 }}
=2023=
In round 4 of the 2023 NRL season, Ilias kicked a field goal during golden point extra-time to win the game for South Sydney over Manly 13-12.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-south-sydney-rabbitohs-vs-manly-sea-eagles-live-blog-scores-teams-news-changes-highlights-video-stream/news-story/df7ecf0f4f1e50043fd8f88b790cdd4b/|title='Give me the ball': Souths rookie's clutch golden-point play as Manly robbed of certain try - 3 Big Hits|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=25 March 2023 }}
Ilias played a total of 24 games for Souths in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 9th on the table and missed the finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-south-sydney-rabbitohs-latrell-mitchell-changing-position-centres-halves-fullback-jack-wighton-sam-burgess-2024-jason-demetriou/news-story/d7c72c901f9e61a0b76b55f9162b64cd/|title='Absolute madness': Potential Latrell switch slammed as a 'band aid' for broken Bunnies|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=5 September 2023 }}
=2024=
After South Sydney lost their opening two games of the 2024 NRL season, Ilias was demoted to reserve grade and replaced with Dean Hawkins.{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/hes-a-scapegoat-nrl-world-fumes-over-brutal-rabbitohs-axing/news-story/fc8687f4b8b90cf99eeec642484540c2/|title='He's a scapegoat': NRL world fumes over brutal Rabbitohs axing|website=www.news.com.au}}
In round 5 of the NSW Cup season, Ilias suffered a fractured tibia during South Sydney's match against the New Zealand Warriors. It was announced that Ilias would miss a minimum of three months.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-lachlan-ilias-suffers-serious-leg-injury-south-sydney-rabbitohs-nsw-cup-freddy-lussick-sent-off-what-happened/news-story/4f6f38aa7ebda5f714155d195e333fb2/|title=Warrior facing HUGE ban from NRL judiciary over gruesome hit which fractured Souths star's leg|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=8 April 2024 }}
On 29 April, it was announced by the South Sydney club that Ilias was free to negotiate with other teams at the end of the 2024 season.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2024-lachlan-ilias-contract-future-rabbitohs-lewis-dodd-signing-braith-anasta-comments/6bb45ea0-c47a-481e-a416-1814f3f7f93c/|title='Didn't see it coming': Lachlan Ilias left blindsided as young halfback free to leave Rabbitohs|website=wwos.nine.com.au|date=29 April 2024 }} On 25 November 2024, Ilias signed a two-year deal with the St. George Illawarra Dragons.{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |date=2024-11-25 |title=Ilias signs on for two seasons |url=https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2024/11/25/ilias-signs-on-for-two-seasons/ |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=St George Illawarra Dragons |language=en}}
=2025=
In round 1 of the 2025 NRL season, Ilias made his club debut for St. George Illawarra against Canterbury which ended in a 28-22 loss. The following week, Ilias came under fire from head coach Shane Flanagan following the clubs loss against his former side South Sydney. Flanagan said of Ilias “The people who needed to make the decisions didn’t make them or the right ones and didn’t get us into field position".{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2025-damien-cook-backs-lachlan-ilias-after-shane-flanagan-criticism-what-did-he-say-big-sports-breakfast-rugby-league-news/news-story/ed6ce969c2f877fd3aa46567f811dd8b/|title=Star responds to brutal Flanno bake, backs under-fire half while stressing Dragons 'aren't far off'|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=18 March 2025 }}
Statistics
{{As of|2025|4|17}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Goals !FGs !Pts |
| 2021
| rowspan="4" |{{leagueicon|South Sydney|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |1 |1 | | | |
| 2022
|26 |5 | | |20 |
| 2023
|24 |4 |2 |1 |21 |
| 2024
|2 | | | | |
| 2025
|{{leagueicon|St. George|16}} St. George Illawarra Dragons |6 | | | | |
| |Totals
|59 |10 |2 |1 |45 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/south-sydney-rabbitohs/lachlan-ilias/ Rabbitohs profile]
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/rugby-league-world-cup/greece/lachlan-ilias/ Greece profile]
{{St George Illawarra Dragons squad}}
{{Greece 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ilias, Lachlan}}
Category:Australian people of Greek descent
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Greece national rugby league team players
Category:People educated at Trinity Grammar School (New South Wales)
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league halfbacks
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney
Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs players