'He was the main reason': Comment from $900k recruit leaves Dragons bosses in awkward spot

One comment from superstar Dragons recruit Scott Drinkwater may have backed club executives into an awkward position.

St George Illawarra landed the gun fullback's signature last month and he will arrive in 2027 on a three-year deal said to be worth $900,000 a season.

His signing is a big coup for the struggling club, especially given the team doesn't have a head coach in place.

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Dean Young is acting in an interim capacity for the remainder of this season following Shane Flanagan's contract being torn up prematurely, but Young has not been guaranteed a role beyond that.

Drinkwater, though, says he agreed to join the Red V largely due to his personal connection with Young.

"I was talking to the CEO, Tim (Watsford), he is very bullish in his approach to how he's going to get things done," Drinkwater said on Nine's Today on Thursday.

"They've got a really good crop of young forwards who have played a lot of good footy together. The Couchman twins, Dylan Egan, and Hamish Stewart... they are only going to get more experienced.

"I've got a good connection with Val (Holmes), so going down there to link back up with him.

"And I've had some really god conversations with Dean Young. I think I probably played my best footy when he was at the Cowboys, and he was the main reason why (I signed with the Dragons).

"There's a few things that excite me down there."

Young, a 2010 premiership winner with the Dragons, was an assistant coach for the club before heading north to work under Cowboys coach Todd Payten for several seasons, and then returning home.

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When Flanagan was dumped last month the Dragons chose to install Young as interim, and his first order of business was to fire fellow assistant coach Michael Ennis.

Those two were considered contenders to become the head coach, although Nine's Danny Weidler has reported members of the club's board would not support Young getting the full-time gig.

If he is snubbed for the job and then decides to leave the club, it would seemingly upset the team's $900,000 superstar signing.

Young was previously interim head coach when Paul McGregor was sacked by the Dragons, but didn't land the role and then left to work for the Cowboys.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald recently, the interim coach explained how he convinced Drinkwater to sign on.

"I told him that with where the club is at the moment, it doesn't look good, but behind closed doors there are a lot of positives happening," Young said.

"I'm close with Drinky and I told him that as a friend – take away the coaching side of it. I wouldn't tell you to come to a joint that is a basket case.

"No one wants to lose, especially Drinky because he's so competitive. I think the club is on the way up, and he was pretty positive about it."

The Dragons are yet to win a game this season, and most recently suffered a 62-16 loss to the Roosters on Anzac Day.

They face the Knights on Saturday.