South Sydney club legends Craig Coleman and Craig Field have turned on halfback Lachlan Ilias after the Rabbitohs failed to make the top eight this season.
On Sunday, it was reported by The Daily Telegraphย that the two legends turned on Ilias. The duo took to social media to describe what they thought of the young playmaker after the loss to the Sydney Roosters, ruling them out of finals contention.
โI've got to get it off my chest โ don't care what the people at Souths think โ but number 7 is not up to what this coach thinks. I was far from a perfect player but @8)(: me," Craig Field wrote.
The comment from Field would then be liked by another Rabbitohs legend, Craig Coleman. This would later receive attention from Ilias' agent, Braith Anasta, who spoke to the publication.
โLachy really looks up to and respects Craig (Coleman) and appreciates the legacy that he left at South Sydney,โ Anasta said.
โFor this reason it amazes me that a guy that could have such a positive impact on Lachy decides to do the opposite and criticise him continuously whenever and wherever he can.
โSome people have short memories. He should be trying to inspire the kid and help him be better- not the opposite.โ
Since the comment from Anasta, Coleman has fired back at the former Bulldogs, Roosters and Tigers player, admitting he wants to meet with Ilias and help guide him.
โIlias is a gutsy player who plays with 100 per cent effort but there is a huge difference between playing half in rugby league and being an outside centre in rugby union, which Ilias was," Coleman said via News Corp.
โIf Braith would like to arrange a meeting with his client I would be only too happy to have a chat with him.
โI hope he (Ilias) can turn constructive criticism into a positive and become a great Souths halfback because the team really needs one.โ
Multiple former rugby league legends would praise the comments from Coleman, including the likes of Roosters legend Kevin Hastings, former Panther Terry Wickey, and ex-Rabbitohs players Neil Baker, Wayne Chisholm and David Boyle, among others.
I’m scratching my head over Mr Coleman’s comments.
According to Wikipaedia (which is not always 100% accurate, but usually OK on non-controversial stuff), Lachlan Ilias played “schoolboy rugby union for Trinity Grammar and junior rugby league with Five Dock Dockers in the Balmain junior district.”
At 17, (in 2017) he signed a development contract with Wests, and went to Souths two years later.
So, it’s not as if he was a long-standing RU player who has recently swapped to League. He has been playing league exclusively since he was 17 (he’s now 23) so what he remembers of playing centre in RU is probably just a dim recollection.
Maybe he needs better training. Maybe he is simply playing as well as he ever will be able to. Not every half back is going to be as good as DCE or Nathan. Either way, I think it is unhelpful to blame his performance on the bit of Union that he played years ago.