The St George Illawarra Dragons are close to finalising their coaching staff, with Dean Young appointing two new coaches alongside him for the 2027 season.
Reports in recent weeks indicated Young wanted former teammate Nathan Fien to be his assistant coach.
Fien has been an assistant coach for the Dolphins, helping shape one of the league’s best attacking sides.
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The Dolphins signed Fien to their coaching staff ahead of the club’s inaugural season under Wayne Bennett.
The former NRL player has since helped create the NRL’s best attacking side in 2025 and fourth-best in 2026.
This season, the Redcliffe-based side made a run to the preliminary final in the club’s first finals campaign.
In a new report from The Daily Telegraph, Fien has recently decided to leave the Queensland-based club to become Young’s right-hand man.
Young’s staff will also include Cronulla Sharks pathways coach Dave Howlett.
Howlett, who heads Endeavour Sports High’s rugby league program, will be a veteran voice as Dean Young experiences his first full season as an NRL coach.
Many in the rugby league world view Howlett in a positive manner, gaining a reputation as a greatly respected communicator.
The Red V averaged 16 points per game, and in major attacking stats, the club ranked the worst across the competition.
Heading into the 2027 season, Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Luke Metcalf, Connor Watson, Phillip Sami and Kodi Nikorima will join the Dragons after a massive roster overhaul, which is expected to continue when the November 1 free agency window begins.
Young, with a better roster, will approach his first pre-season as the full-time Dragons coach, with not only more talent and experience, but also further developing a current crop of young players for the future, having extended Ryan Couchman and Toby Couchman, Dylan Egan, Jacob Halangahu, Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Hamish Stewart and Jacob Webster.
Hamish Stewart won the Dally M Second Rower of the Year alongside Manly Sea Eagles star Haumole Olakau’atu.
Willie Talau, who replaced Michael Ennis during the year, will coach the Dragons’ NSW Cup side, and Tom Eisenhuth will coach the Steelers’ SG Ball side.