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April 23, 2026 \u2014 3:33pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Dean Young has had two conversations that could change the trajectory of St George Illawarra: his pitch to Scott Drinkwater and the decision to spare Valentine Holmes from the axe.<\/p>\n The interim Dragons coach wasted no time leaving his mark after taking over from Shane Flanagan on Monday, moving on assistant coach Michael Ennis and handing a debut to rookie halfback Kade Reed<\/a> for the biggest game of the NRL regular season. However, it\u2019s what Young did next that could have just as big a bearing on the Red V\u2019s fortunes.<\/p>\n Negotiations to bring North Queensland fullback Scott Drinkwater to the club were already under way before Young\u2019s elevation to the top job, but they have just ratcheted up another level.<\/p>\n Young and Drinkwater share a close bond from their time together in Townsville and Young, a former Cowboys assistant coach, made a personal pitch in a bid to seal a three-year deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a good relationship with Drinky; I enjoyed coaching him up at the Cowboys for three years,\u201d Young said.<\/p>\n \u201cI rang him the other night and had a 20-minute conversation with him. I told him that with where the club is at the moment, it doesn\u2019t look good, but behind closed doors there are a lot of positives happening.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m close with Drinky and I told him that as a friend \u2013 take away the coaching side of it. I wouldn\u2019t tell you to come to a joint that is a basket case.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one wants to lose, especially Drinky because he\u2019s so competitive. I think the club is on the way up, and he was pretty positive about it.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s close mates with Valentine Holmes and he could see all of the young forwards we\u2019ve got coming through \u2013 the Couchmans [twins Ryan and Toby], Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart. He can see some potential in them.\u201d<\/p>\n Drinkwater is contracted to the Cowboys for next year, but has been given permission to explore other opportunities early after the club earmarked Jaxon Purdue as their long-term No.1. Current Dragons fullback Clint Gutherson has given the move his blessing<\/a> and has also been texting Drinkwater about a potential switch, insisting he would happily step into another position. However, Young\u2019s recent conversation with Drinkwater is expected to get the transfer across the line.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the only heart-to-heart chat Young has had since being installed as head coach. The former premiership-winning forward resisted pressure to drop Holmes after perhaps his worst NRL performance. Marking up on Latrell Mitchell, the former Maroons centre was powerless as his Rabbitohs counterpart scored four tries on Saturday night in South Sydney\u2019s 30-12 win<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, Young ultimately opted not to drop his highest-paid player for Saturday\u2019s Anzac Day clash against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve known Val for a long time \u2013 I went to the Cowboys back in 2021 and he was fullback then,\u201d Young explained.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth [Cowboys head coach] Todd Payten and I agreed that probably wasn\u2019t his best position. Todd decided to move him into the centres with my support. I wasn\u2019t the head coach, but I was certainly a fan of that decision.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I worked really closely with Val to turn him into a centre and he\u2019s made a real fist of it. He\u2019s certainly not happy with his own form this year, but I know Val doesn\u2019t walk away from challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n Young pointed to Holmes leaving the security of a lucrative league contract in 2019 to try his hand at NFL<\/a> as proof that he won\u2019t shy away from difficult assignments.<\/p>\n \u201cHe likes to challenge himself,\u201d Young said. \u201cNo one walks away from $900,000 on the table to go and play NFL for $60,000 if they don\u2019t like a challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got one at the moment because his form is not where it needs to be, but I\u2019m backing him to be back at his best.\u201d<\/p>\n Young\u2019s own future remains unclear. It is his third crack as an interim head coach after previous stints with the Cowboys and Dragons, and there are no guarantees he will remain in charge beyond this year.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be an NRL coach,\u201d Young said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever opportunity that comes up, I\u2019m going to look at it. I want to coach for 10 to 15 years, so whatever opportunity that is presented to me, I\u2019ll be taking it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether that\u2019s here, at Manly or Dapto Canaries, the Cowboys, it doesn\u2019t really matter. I\u2019ve got to sit down and look at all my options.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cAt the moment, the furthest thing from my mind is next year. It\u2019s just about the Roosters [this week].\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragons are on an 11-game losing streak dating back to last year, but Young hopes his side can give a good account of itself on Anzac Day.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t really thought about it as a coach, but I was blessed to play about nine games on Anzac Day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the best game of the season \u2013 apart from semi-finals and the grand final \u2013 without doubt. I certainly don\u2019t miss playing rugby league any more, by any means, but when Dragons versus Roosters comes around on Anzac Day I certainly miss running out there, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Newly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/24501f3cefe873a8128028fd1261d9c71e4f2093.jpeg\")
Newly appointed Dragons interim coach Dean Young at training on Wednesday.AAP<\/p>\n![\"Dragons](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/d91d6036d0bf9c4d7c99d522b609adc2337b94f3.jpeg\")
Dragons target Scott Drinkwater.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Valentine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/419942ac2a564a5b4fdd7d192beafd84c4c958ee.jpeg\")
Valentine Holmes.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Dragons](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/47417fb46dd26519e00068b8f48d133c3d683d0c.jpeg\")
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