The Dragons have locked in who will be their next coach with interim coach Dean Young set to continue in his role for 2027.

After Shane Flanagan was sacked following a winless start to 2026, St. George Illawarra promoted the assistant coach into the head coach role for the remainder of the season.

While the Red V has remained at the bottom of the ladder, Young has claimed two wins whilst in charge with the club deciding to sign him on a two year deal.

Young becomes the second interim coach this season to be appointed as the permanent coach joining Kieran Foran at Manly.

The 2010 premiership winner with the Dragons managed to beat South Sydney assistant Ben Hornby to the job.

In a club statement, the 42-year-old said he was privileged to coach the side that he once played for.

“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.”