# Lachlan Ilias

Lachlan Ilias (born 9 May 2000) is a Greece international rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback 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. 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. He also played junior rugby league with Leichhardt Wanderers in the Balmain junior district.

## Career
### Early career

Ilias signed a development contract with Wests Tigers in 2017. In 2018, after a meeting with Anthony Seibold, Ilias transferred to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2019 season.

### 2021

Ilias made his debut for South Sydney at halfback 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.

### 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. 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.
Ilias made his international debut for Greece against France on 17 October 2022 at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

### 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. 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.

### 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. 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. 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. On 25 November 2024, Ilias signed a two-year deal with the St. George Illawarra Dragons.

### 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".

## Statistics

| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | FGs | Pts |
| 2021 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 1 | 1 | | | |
| 2022 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 26 | 5 | | | 20 |
| 2023 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 21 |
| 2024 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2 | | | | |
| 2025 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | | | | | |
| | Totals | 53 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 45 |