Club legend Dean Young will coach the team for the next two years after impressing in his role as interim where the side has improved greatly since he replaced Shane Flanagan.
St George Illawarra lost its opening 11 games of the season, with Young replacing Flanagan ahead of the Anzac Day clash with the Roosters where they were thrashed 62-16.
That was the low point for the Red V who are 2-8 under Young but could have easily won another couple of games.
They will likely finish with the wooden spoon barring a late-season miracle, but there are encouraging signs with the young forwards excelling every week, while they also have a stack of stars joining the club in 2027.
“Leading this great club is a privilege, but I understand that it also comes with responsibility and pressure,” Young said.
“I have experienced success and failure in this game, as both a player and a coach. Those experiences have given me the confidence to lead this club back to where it belongs.
“I want our fans to be proud of our football team. Proud of how hard we compete and how consistent we are. It’s my job to create an environment that delivers these values.
“We have only just started to see the potential of this team. There’s a lot more work to be done.”
Fellow 2010 premiership hero Ben Hornby was also in the mix for the job, with the board and shareholders unanimously endorsing management’s recommendation that Young should get the job.
“We said from the outset that we would take the time needed to make the right decision for the club’s future,” Dragons chief executive Tim Watsford said.
“This has been a structured process, and Dean has emerged as the candidate we believe is best placed to lead the next phase of our football program.
“Dean’s history with the Dragons is well known and respected, but that is not why he has been appointed. This decision is based on the strength of his football plan, his connection with players, his leadership of staff, his alignment with our pathways and recruitment strategy, and his understanding of what this club needs to become.
“We understand our members and supporters want results. So do we. Dean recognises the responsibility that comes with this role, and he will be supported by a football structure designed to drive standards, development and performance throughout the program.”
Scott Drinkwater, Connor Watson, Luke Metcalf, Phil Sami and Keaon Koloamatangi will all join the club next year and will provide the firepower that could lead to them making the finals for the first time since 2018.
Just last week, Drinkwater told the NewsWire that he wanted Young to get the job.
“The board understands the significance of this appointment and all that comes with it,” Dragons chair Andrew Lancaster said.
“Tim and our leadership team have undertaken a thorough selection process, and the Board is confident in, and supportive of, that process and the outcome.
“Dean has the board’s full support, and there will be clear accountability for the performance standards expected of him in the role.”
Originally published as ‘Back to where it belongs’: Path is clear for the Dragons after club confirms Dean Young will coach the team next year